BELARUS IS NOW HELPING KEEP RUSSIA’S GAS STATIONS SUPPLIED
Russia’s fuel shortages have become so severe that Belarus shipped record volumes of gasoline and diesel to Russia in July, according to Reuters, as Ukrainian drone strikes continue to disrupt Russian refining capacity.
According to industry data:
▪️ Gasoline deliveries from Belarus to Russia increased 13% from June, reaching a record 212,000 metric tons.
▪️ Diesel shipments doubled to 162,000 metric tons.
▪️ Over the first seven months of 2026, Belarusian gasoline exports to Russia surged 25-fold compared with the same period last year, while diesel deliveries increased nearly sevenfold.
The reason is becoming increasingly clear.
Months of sustained Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian refineries, fuel depots, and oil infrastructure have repeatedly forced refinery shutdowns and reduced domestic fuel production. Reuters reports Russia’s gasoline output fell to roughly 65% of normal seasonal consumption, prompting Moscow to ban diesel exports, reroute fuel across the country, and even begin importing gasoline to stabilize supplies.
Belarus has become one of Russia’s emergency lifelines.
Its two refineries, with a combined processing capacity of 24 million tons per year (about 480,000 barrels per day), are now helping offset shortages inside Russia by processing Russian crude and sending refined fuel back across the border.
Just months ago, Russia was one of the world’s largest exporters of refined fuel. Today, it is increasingly relying on imports from its closest ally to keep domestic fuel flowing.
While Belarus cannot fully replace the refining capacity lost to repeated Ukrainian strikes, the record shipments underscore how sustained attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure are forcing Moscow to depend more heavily on external support to meet its own domestic demand.