Why Russia Now Turns To Energy Ally India For Gasoline | Explained

Livemint

Published12 Aug 2026, 08:58 PM IST

Russia, one of the world’s largest energy exporters, has imported gasoline from India for the first time in history. The first shipment from Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery reached Russia on 5 August. Ukrainian strikes have severely damaged Russian refineries, cutting processing rates by about a third and forcing Moscow to ban fuel exports to prioritise domestic supply. Fuel is being moved via Russian-linked tankers and ship-to-ship transfers off Egypt’s coast. The dual conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are reshaping global fuel flows.