Russia has suspended exports of motor fuels to Afghanistan since April 2026, according to market traders and Russian media reports, forcing Afghanistan and several Central Asian countries to seek alternative fuel suppliers.
The move comes as Moscow reduced fuel exports across Central Asia to prioritize domestic supply following temporary export restrictions on gasoline and other petroleum products. Data cited by Russian market participants show exports of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from Russia to Central Asia and Afghanistan fell to 4.5 million metric tons during the first eight months of 2026, down from 4.9 million metric tons during the same period a year earlier.
The Moscow Times reported that Russia stopped exporting motor gasoline to Afghanistan in April after introducing export restrictions aimed at stabilizing fuel supplies and prices in the domestic market. The restrictions affected shipments to several neighboring countries, including Afghanistan.
The reduction has accelerated changes in regional fuel supply chains. Belarus has significantly increased petroleum exports to Central Asia and Afghanistan, filling part of the gap left by Russia. Belarusian gasoline exports to the region doubled to 630,000 metric tons in the first eight months of the year, while diesel exports increased fourfold to about 140,000 metric tons.
According to the report, more than 48,000 metric tons of Belarusian gasoline were shipped to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in August alone, highlighting Belarus’s growing role as an alternative supplier to regional markets.
Reuters separately reported that Russian diesel exports to Central Asia rebounded sharply in August, rising to more than 370,000 metric tons, more than double July’s level. However, cumulative diesel exports to Central Asia and Afghanistan during the first eight months of 2026 remained slightly below last year’s level at around 2.5 million metric tons.
The shift has prompted Central Asian countries to diversify fuel imports beyond Russia. Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have increasingly sourced gasoline and diesel from Turkmenistan, Iran, China and European suppliers in recent months, according to Reuters.
For Afghanistan, which relies heavily on imported fuel, the suspension of Russian gasoline exports underscores its dependence on neighboring markets and alternative supply routes. Increased shipments from Belarus and other regional suppliers could help offset supply disruptions, but they also reflect broader changes in energy trade across Eurasia as Russia reshapes exports under domestic and geopolitical pressures.
