Russia, one of the world's largest oil producers, has taken a notable step after production losses at its refineries and a worsening fuel shortage across the country. Moscow has begun importing gasoline from Turkey by sea for the first time.
According to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data, the tanker Wendrix, carrying approximately 200,000 barrels of gasoline, left Mersin Port on Turkey's Mediterranean coast and headed for Russia. The vessel is expected to reach Russia during the week of August 24, but the port where the cargo will be unloaded has not yet been determined.
As of August 21, the tanker was tracked in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Latvia. Russia has major petroleum product terminals in the region, including St. Petersburg, Vysotsk, Primorsk and Kaliningrad.
Russia's refining capacity takes a heavy blow
The shipment from Turkey highlights the scale reached by Russia's fuel crisis in recent months.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on oil refineries, storage facilities and export infrastructure in an effort to reduce Russia's energy revenues and war-fighting capacity. The Orsk, TANECO, Ilsky, Bashneft-Novoil and Yaroslavl refineries were targeted in August, while production disruptions also affected major facilities in Volgograd, Saratov and Ryazan.
S&P Global Energy analysts estimate that the volume of crude oil processed at Russian refineries fell to approximately 3.7 million barrels per day in July. That figure is about 28 percent below the 2025 average.
The decline in gasoline production was felt directly in the domestic market. At the beginning of July, Russian gasoline production could cover only about 65 percent of seasonal domestic demand.
Fuel stations impose sales limits
The fuel shortage has also affected gas stations in many parts of the country. Limits on gasoline sales by volume were introduced in several regions, including Moscow, while long lines of vehicles formed at some stations.
Gazprom Neft, Rosneft, Lukoil and Tatneft, some of Russia's largest oil companies, limited gasoline sales at certain stations to specified quantities per vehicle.
Moscow has also extended restrictions on gasoline exports to protect domestic supply. The temporary ban on motor gasoline exports was extended until January 31, 2027.
Russia imports more than 1 million barrels of gasoline
Russia has not turned only to Turkey. S&P Global and Kpler data show that the country has imported more than 1 million barrels of gasoline by sea since the end of July.
More than 1 million barrels of Indian-origin gasoline were sent to Russia via Egypt, while another shipment of approximately 300,000 barrels loaded in Morocco also reached the country.
In addition, gasoline supplies from Belarus and Kazakhstan by road and rail were increased. Rail shipments of gasoline from Belarus to Russia rose 13 percent month on month in July to approximately 212,000 metric tons.
An unusual situation for an oil giant
Russia is among the world's largest crude oil producers and energy exporters. Its need to purchase gasoline from other countries to meet domestic demand is therefore an unusual development for energy markets.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also confirmed that the country had begun importing fuel. The government continues to take measures to restore production capacity and ease the pressure on the domestic market.
The 200,000-barrel Mersin shipment from Turkey is Russia's fifth confirmed seaborne gasoline shipment since the end of July and has been recorded as the first shipment originating from Turkey.
