Diesel Shortages Hit St. Petersburg Amid Russia-US Fuel Export Deal
Diesel availability at gas stations in St. Petersburg dropped below 40% in early November 2026, falling steeply from approximately 70% in late October, according to fuel availability data analyzed by economist Janis Kluge and reported by The Moscow Times.
Private Gas Stations Limit Fuel Purchases in the Leningrad Region
The rapid contraction mirrors conditions seen during a shortage in late July, when filling stations in the region introduced restrictions. Private gas stations in the neighboring Leningrad region have reportedly limited individual customer purchases to between 30 and 50 liters per vehicle. Motorists in St. Petersburg have also faced queues lasting up to 40 minutes.
Data compiled by the fuel-tracking service GdeBenz indicates that the diesel shortage in the Leningrad region and on the outskirts of St. Petersburg has proven more acute than the gasoline shortage. Winter and summer diesel are available at only 62% of the region’s gas stations, as reported by Rosbalt.
Export Shipments to the United States
The domestic tightening follows a fuel export arrangement between Washington and Moscow. Interfax reported on October 10 that Trump thanked Putin for the arrangement, describing it as a major deal, while the Kremlin characterized the agreement as mutually beneficial.
The organization warned that some shipments involved sanctioned vessels or cargoes and could violate European restrictions.
Experts Debate Causes of the Regional Fuel Shortages
Economist Janis Kluge suggested that rushed exports through the Baltic port of Primorsk, near St. Petersburg, may have disrupted local fuel logistics, though he noted that Russia produces enough diesel. Conversely, local gas station operators attributed supply problems to logistical changes and tank cleaning ahead of the transition to winter diesel, according to Rosbalt.
Economic commentator Stanimir Dobrev noted on his X page that Russia did not have sufficient diesel fuel reserves to allow for exports.
Kluge also noted that the US is a net exporter of diesel, producing more than it consumes, which could make the arrangement disadvantageous for American fuel producers.
Broader Geopolitical Pressures on Energy Infrastructure
The diesel deal came weeks after Washington pressed Kyiv to ease pressure on Russia’s energy sector.