Russian refineries to postpone maintenance to saturate market, energy minister says

Russian oil refineries will postpone planned maintenance in order to saturate the market, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said on Wednesday. Russia is facing fuel shortages after a series of Ukrainian attacks on its refineries.

Russian oil refineries will postpone planned maintenance in order to saturate the market, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said on Wednesday. Russia is facing fuel shortages after a series of Ukrainian attacks on its refineries. In September it imposed a partial ban on diesel exports and extended a gasoline export ban, which applies to all exporters, until the end of the year.

The authorities are closely monitoring the situation on the domestic fuel market, Tsivilev said. "The capacity of previously accumulated fuel reserves at refineries and oil depots has been tapped," he added.

"The following additional measures are currently being implemented: adjustment of the rules for conducting exchange trading in order to prevent speculative growth in fuel prices in the wholesale segment; coordination of logistics and acceleration of fuel deliveries to all regions, as well as for the needs of agricultural producers."