MOSCOW — Russia’s government announced Thursday it was temporarily limiting exports of petrol and diesel fuel to avoid shortages on the domestic market.
The exchange price of domestic petrol soared to a record high this week, in part due to a weaker ruble, rising global oil prices and repair work at refineries curbing supplies.
The announcement comes weeks after Moscow decided to extend a voluntary cut of oil exports until the end of the year in a coordinated move with Saudi Arabia aimed at propping up global crude prices.
“The government introduced a temporary restriction on exports of motor gasoline and diesel fuel to stabilise the domestic market,” the government said Thursday.
“The decision was made to stabilise fuel prices on the domestic market,” it said, without specifying what kind of measures would be introduced.
It said the restrictions would help “saturate the fuel market” and lower prices at the pump.
Farmers in some regions have been unable to harvest grain due to a shortage of fuel needed for agricultural machinery, local media outlets have reported.
The rising fuel prices come as Russia’s central bank warns economic growth is set to slow down in the second half of 2023, with inflation above the bank’s target of four percent.
Russian officials have largely shrugged off the economic effects of Moscow’s dragging offensive in Ukraine, despite persistently high inflation and a weaker ruble.
Meanwhile, Ukraine on Saturday said dozens including senior Russian navy commanders died or were injured when it staged a missile attack on Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol a day earlier.
Ukraine struck the headquarters on Friday, sparking a huge fire.
“The details of the attack will be revealed as soon as possible and the result is dozens of dead and wounded occupants, including senior fleet commanders,” the Ukrainian army said.
It said the strike happened when “a meeting of the Russian navy’s leadership” was going on.
Kyiv’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed the attack killed “at least nine people” in comments to Voice of America, including generals.
AFP is not able to verify this information.
Budanov declined to say if Western-made missiles were used in the attack.
Russia has said one of its servicemen was missing after the attack.
Kyiv has vowed to take back Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Earlier, the Russian-installed head of Sevastopol in annexed Crimea warned of a possible new Ukrainian missile attack on Saturday, a day after Kyiv hit Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in the city.
“Attention! Missile danger!” Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram.
“Close your windows properly and stay away from them,” he said, asking commuters to get out of cars and public transport and seek shelter in a safe place.
But shortly afterwards he said the “danger is over.”