BISHKEK — Kyrgyzstan has formally reached out to Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan for help securing stable fuel supplies, as fears mount over potential shortages stemming from Ukraine’s ongoing drone strikes against Russian oil refineries.
The landlocked Central Asian nation, home to approximately 7 million people, depends on Russia for more than 90% of its gasoline. That heavy reliance has become a serious vulnerability as Russia itself grapples with growing domestic fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the problem last week, saying Moscow may move to ban diesel exports as domestic supply pressures continue to mount.
Kyrgyzstan’s energy ministry confirmed the outreach in an official statement, saying: “To ensure sustainable fuel supplies, official requests have been sent to the relevant government authorities of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.”
Despite the diplomatic requests, the ministry said current fuel stocks remain adequate and that deliveries are continuing on schedule. Kyrgyz authorities had already taken steps in June to stabilize prices, introducing retail price controls on certain types of fuel.
However, the country’s oil traders’ association painted a somewhat different picture, noting that some gas stations are experiencing shortages of AI-95 grade gasoline. The more commonly used AI-92 grade is reported to have sufficient reserves to last between 30 and 45 days. Diesel fuel, which is especially important during the harvest season, remains available.
Kyrgyzstan’s situation reflects a broader challenge facing Central Asian economies, which are deeply connected to Russia’s. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, these nations have endured repeated bouts of inflation. At the same time, Kyrgyzstan has emerged as a major transit hub for goods being rerouted to Russia in response to Western sanctions.
