Media: Russia's fuel shortage could worsen in September

According to the Russian newspaper "Kommersant," citing sources familiar with the fuel market, Russia may face a new round of fuel shortages in September due to planned maintenance at several large oil refineries in Russia and the Naftan refinery in Belarus. The report cites industry sources stating that from July 20 to August 12, gasoline supplied from Belarus to Russia via rail dropped to 21,000 tons, compared to 165,000 tons from June 22 to July 17. During the same period, diesel shipments from Belarus to Russia also declined from 115,900 tons to 8,500 tons. Maintenance at the Naftan refinery could impact consumers in Russia's Volga region and reduce the available supplies for traders and independent gas stations. Planned maintenance at domestic refineries in Russia, including TAIF, will further exacerbate supply pressures in September. Additionally, attacks on refineries remain an unpredictable risk. Marine fuel from India could somewhat offset the reduction in supply from Belarus, but "Kommersant" indicated that this portion of supply is likely to be directed to gas stations under vertically integrated oil companies rather than entering the exchange market. The report cites data from CDU TEK indicating that as of August 12, retail prices for AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline have increased by 7.4% since the beginning of the year, while the retail price of diesel has risen by 12.1%.