Russia has begun importing petrol from India by sea after sustained Ukrainian drone attacks damaged its oil refineries and triggered a nationwide fuel crisis, Reuters reported, citing two industry sources.
Fuel rationing has been introduced in some areas, long queues have formed at petrol stations, and petrol prices have risen to record levels across the country.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia is in contact with several countries about importing fuel at acceptable prices. Russia’s energy ministry and India’s oil ministry did not immediately comment.
According to one industry source, at least 60,000 metric tons of petrol have been shipped from India to Russia. A second source said two tankers with a capacity of 30,000 to 40,000 tons each have already departed from India.
A third source said Russia is planning to import a total of 400,000 tons of petrol per month from various countries, including neighboring Belarus, which has already begun exporting fuel to Russia.
Summer demand has pushed Russia’s daily petrol consumption to at least 110,000 tons.
It has not been confirmed which Indian refineries are supplying the fuel.
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged at a meeting with government ministers and officials on Sunday that drone strikes on oil refineries had caused fuel shortages in parts of the country.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report