Russia set to import North Asian jet fuel amid fuel crisis, sources say

Published 03 Jul, 2026 03:06pm 2 min read
Image courtesy of social media
Image courtesy of social media

Russia is poised to import a jet fuel cargo originating from Japan via traders, said three sources briefed on ​the matter, as the country contends with a fuel crisis after ‌Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure.

At least 200,000 barrels of jet fuel are expected to load from Chiba, Japan, in the first half of July ​and be shipped to South Korea first, said two of ​the sources, with several traders involved in the deal ⁠chain.

The cargo is then expected to be loaded on another tanker — ​probably by ship-to-ship transfer off South Korea’s Yeosu port — before heading ​to Russia, they added. Its final destination was not immediately clear.

The sources declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

The ​Russian energy ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

​South Korea’s Industry Ministry and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry did ‌not ⁠respond immediately to requests for comment.

A previous such shipment by Russia appears to have been for 22,000 barrels of jet fuel from Yeosu in South Korea in February 2022, Kpler ship-tracking data showed. ​

The cargo was delivered ​to the ⁠Far East region of Vladivostok.

The fuel crisis sparked by Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and ​depots is disrupting Russians’ daily life, with Moscow ​imposing restrictions ⁠on fuel purchases while farmers have warned that they might be unable to harvest crops.

Russian jet fuel exports have fallen to about 13,000 barrels ⁠per day this year, mostly to Turkey, Kpler ​data showed. Russia exported about 30,000 bpd of the fuel last year.

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