Throughout 2025, Russia significantly increased fuel supplies to the countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan, made possible by the rise in liquefied hydrocarbon gas exports, which grew by 530 thousand tons. The main importing countries were Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan, taking advantage of favorable cooperation conditions with Russia, actively purchased oil and liquefied gas to eliminate the gasoline shortage in the country.
The Russian fuel market in 2025 faced a period of instability due to unexpected repairs at oil refineries and record prices on the exchange. This led to the introduction of temporary export restrictions by the government aimed at protecting domestic consumers. However, by the beginning of 2026, these restrictions were lifted to avoid overloading the refineries. As a result, in January 2026, exports to the region increased by 44% compared to December, reaching 0.88 million tons.
Despite such an active start to the year, analysts expect the growth rate to stabilize. The main issue for further increases in supply remains the limited capacity of border crossings with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. At the same time, active diesel fuel exports do not pose a threat to the Russian market, as its production volume is twice the domestic needs. In the current geopolitical situation, land routes to Asia are becoming strategically important for Russia, ensuring resilience to external pressures.
