Russia bans gasoline exports for 6 months from March 1

Russia on Tuesday announced a six-month ban on gasoline exports from March 1 to compensate for rising demand from consumers and farmers and to allow for planned maintenance of refineries.

The ban, first reported by RBC, was confirmed by a spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

Russia previously imposed a similar ban between September and November last year in order to tackle high domestic prices and shortages. Only four ex-Soviet states – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan – were exempt.

This time, the ban will not extend to member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and two Russian-backed breakaway regions of Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia.