Despite tight government control of the market and export bans, fuel prices in Russia have jumped sharply over the past year. Amid Ukrainian strikes and sanctions, the country’s fuel market has slid into a systemic crisis.
Russian authorities have failed to stabilize diesel prices. According to an analysis by the outlet Verstka of Rosstat data, the average price of diesel in Russia has been climbing almost every week.
While price growth from January through August was minimal, the picture changed sharply in September. Between September 1 and 8, the price rose by 16 kopeks, reaching 71.73 rubles per liter. The steepest jump came in late October and early November, when diesel surged by 51 kopeks.
As of December 22, the average diesel price in Russia hit 75.83 rubles per liter. A year earlier, on December 23, 2024, it stood at 69.88 rubles.
In the fall, officials blamed seasonal factors—heavy travel and the harvest—for rising prices. But regional data tell a different story. In parts of the country that saw fuel shortages, prices never returned to summer levels even after the season ended.
That points to a deeper problem: Russia’s fuel market is out of balance, and administrative measures aren’t delivering the expected results.
Against that backdrop, 92- and 95-octane gasoline did edge down slightly from November. Rosstat data show that as of December 22, average prices were 61.4 and 66.72 rubles per liter, respectively. Even so, both remain above early August levels—before widespread reports of shortages at gas stations.
With prices still climbing, Russia’s government has extended its ban on gasoline exports for a third time. The restriction now runs through February 28, 2026. Similar measures were prolonged for diesel and other petroleum products, with exceptions for producers’ own supplies.
Officially, the policy is billed as a move to “maintain stability,” but the reality suggests otherwise. Prices keep rising, and the domestic market increasingly looks like a hostage to war, sanctions and ineffective management.
