Russia’s deepening fuel crisis is beginning to affect aviation and travel across Central Asia, with airlines reducing services, fuel prices rising and governments scrambling to secure supplies as shortages spread beyond the country’s borders.
In a striking reversal for one of the world’s largest oil producers, Russia is preparing to import jet fuel after months of disruption to its refining industry. The move highlights the growing impact of repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries, storage facilities and fuel distribution infrastructure, which have significantly reduced domestic refining capacity.
According to Reuters, at least 200,000 barrels of jet fuel originating in Japan are expected to be shipped to Russia through a complex trading network. The cargo is scheduled to load in Chiba during the first half of July before being transferred off South Korea’s Yeosu port via a ship-to-ship operation and then delivered to Russia. The final destination has not been disclosed.
The import is a remarkable turnaround for a country that until recently exported aviation fuel. To conserve dwindling supplies, Moscow has already banned most jet fuel exports through November while introducing restrictions on gasoline purchases in several regions.
Russian President Putin has publicly acknowledged the seriousness of the shortages, ordering closer government oversight of fuel distribution. Authorities have since established a nationwide 24-hour monitoring center to track inventories and respond to supply disruptions.
The aviation sector is among the hardest hit. According to Kpler data cited by Reuters, Russian jet fuel exports have fallen to around 13,000 barrels per day this year, less than half the approximately 30,000 barrels exported daily in 2025. Most remaining exports are destined for Turkey.
The consequences are increasingly being felt beyond Russia. News agency Bloomberg reports that fuel shortages are rippling across Central Asia, exposing the region’s continued dependence on Russian petroleum products despite growing trade links with China.
Uzbekistan has seen gasoline prices climb sharply, while Uzbekistan Airways has reduced some flights to Russia because of fuel supply concerns.
In Kyrgyzstan, the Ministry of Energy is monitoring fuel supplies daily and holding talks with oil distributors to address logistics, pricing and strategic reserves. The government has also appealed to neighboring countries for assistance in maintaining stable fuel deliveries.
Kazakhstan has tightened border controls to prevent illegal fuel exports into Russia and temporarily suspended rail exports of selected petroleum products to safeguard domestic inventories. Officials are also evaluating additional fuel imports from China to diversify supply.
By late June, nearly 90% of Russian regions had reported fuel supply disruptions or restrictions on gasoline sales, according to Bloomberg.
For the travel industry, the fuel crunch raises fresh concerns over airline operations, route planning and regional connectivity. As Ukraine continues targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and President Volodymyr Zelensky pledges further strikes on refineries, the outlook suggests fuel markets—and air transport across parts of Eurasia—could remain under pressure for months.
