Kyrgyzstan temporarily bans gasoline and diesel exports

Kyrgyzstan has imposed a temporary ban on exporting gasoline and diesel fuel via road and rail, a move aimed at securing its domestic market supply. The decree, signed July 13, will remain in effect until the local market is fully satisfied or a unified market is established within the Eurasian Economic Union.

The restrictions encompass gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products, though exceptions exist for naphtha and fuel oil processed abroad and returned as finished products, as well as fuel in standard vehicle tanks. Simultaneously, Kyrgyzstan has eased import regulations for petroleum products by road, suspending previous limitations on fuel imports by tanker trucks until April 2027, provided importers meet safety and documentation requirements.

This decision comes as Kyrgyzstan faces potential fuel shortages, exacerbated by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, which have reduced refining volumes and disrupted supplies. Russian gasoline constitutes 90-95% of Kyrgyzstan's imports. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, logistical challenges, and rising global oil prices have also prompted the country to seek alternative fuel sources, including requests for assistance from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Kazakhstan has mirrored these protective measures, extending its own ban on gasoline and diesel exports by road for six months, even to other EAEU members, and imposing restrictions on rail exports. These actions by both nations underscore a regional effort to ensure energy security and domestic market stability in the face of global supply uncertainties.