In Russia, gasoline sales have turned into a loss-making business. Gas station operators are losing an average of 84 kopecks on every liter of AI-92, the most popular fuel grade in the country. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
Details
At the same time, AI-95 gasoline brings in a symbolic 47 kopecks of profit per liter, which, given current inflation and the cost of loans, is the economic equivalent of zero.
According to Ukrainian foreign intelligence, there are several reasons for this.
In the pursuit of foreign exchange earnings, the Kremlin is stimulating the export of petroleum products, artificially limiting supply on the domestic market. Railways are overloaded with military cargo—fuel tankers are delayed, transportation tariffs are rising, and margins are disappearing. Refineries, lacking Western additives and spare parts, are factoring sanction risks into the wholesale price, which retail cannot fully pass on to the consumer due to administrative restrictions,
The only sector still holding on is diesel fuel, with a profit of 3.68 rubles per liter. However, even this indicator is under pressure, as the Russian army consumes diesel in industrial volumes.
By the end of 2026, analysts expect a wave of bankruptcies among independent gas station networks and inevitable double-digit price growth. The Kremlin faces a choice without a choice: raise gasoline prices and trigger social tension, or continue to bleed the industry dry and move toward physical shortages at the pumps,
Recall
The shortage of AI-95 gasoline on the Russian market has exceeded 26,000 tons due to refinery repairs.