A gasoline shortage in Russia has started to impact countries in Central Asia, Bloomberg reports.
As reported, Kyrgyzstan has appealed to neighboring countries for assistance in maintaining stable fuel supplies. In Uzbekistan, gasoline prices have surged sharply. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has tightened border controls to prevent illegal fuel exports and temporarily banned rail exports of certain petroleum products to avoid domestic shortages.
According to Bloomberg, the supply disruptions have once again highlighted the dependence of Central Asian economies on Russian petroleum products, despite China’s growing influence in the region.
The media outlet says the fuel shortage in Russia is linked to shutdowns at oil refineries following drone attacks by Ukraine. As of late June, around 90 percent of Russian regions had reported supply disruptions or restrictions on gasoline sales.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy continues to monitor the fuel market on a daily basis. Together with the Antimonopoly Regulation Service, the ministry is holding meetings with oil traders to discuss supply issues, logistics, pricing, and fuel reserve management.
Earlier, the Russian Federation—Kyrgyzstan’s main supplier of petroleum products—introduced a temporary ban on fuel exports.