Russia to Ban Jet Fuel Exports for 1-2 Months Amid Ukrainian Drone Attacks

Russia is preparing to ban jet fuel exports for one to two months, a reversal from its energy minister’s earlier stance that no additional restrictions were needed. This decision, reported by Interfax on May 26, is driven by Ukrainian drone attacks that have reduced April refinery runs to a 16-year low.

The measure targets major producers like Rosneft and Lukoil, which were previously exempt from a partial fuel-export ban implemented on January 31. While a jet fuel ban is imminent, sources are divided on a parallel diesel ban; some indicate it is highly ready, others deem it unlikely due to sufficient supply. Oil companies have been instructed to curb foreign sales following a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

April refinery runs dropped to 4.7 million barrels a day, the lowest since December 2009. The IEA cut its 2026 forecast for Russian throughput by 150,000 barrels a day to 5 million barrels a day, attributing this to increasingly effective Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure. These attacks have impacted refineries such as Tuapse, Ryazan, Perm, Yaroslavl, and Kirishi, with Reuters estimating that 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity (about 2 million barrels per day) was offline at one point.

Beyond refineries, internal strain is visible, with the Far Eastern Energy Company announcing mass electricity and hot-water cutoffs in Primorsky Krai due to 5.8 billion rubles (about $81 million) in household utility debts. Nationally, overdue household utility debt reached 415 billion rubles (about $5.8 billion) by November. Despite these challenges, Novak’s office prioritizes reliable domestic fuel supply and calls for monitoring and timely response measures.