Key facts
- Belarusian oil refineries reported their highest profits in a decade in 2026.
- Record volumes of gasoline and diesel were exported from Belarus to Russia.
- Belarusian gasoline shipments to Russia increased 25-fold in the first seven months of 2026.
- Diesel deliveries from Belarus to Russia increased sevenfold in the same period.
- Russian refining capacity has been significantly reduced due to Ukrainian drone strikes.
- Belarus's Naftan and Mozyr refineries are processing Russian crude on a tolling basis.
Belarusian oil refineries achieved their highest profitability in a decade in 2026, benefiting from Russia's ongoing fuel crisis. The independent Pozirk news agency reported that favorable foreign market conditions, particularly to the east, coupled with the activation of reserve capacity in June and July, contributed to the surge.
Shipments of gasoline from Belarus to Russia saw a dramatic 25-fold increase in the first seven months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, reaching nearly 665,000 tons. Diesel deliveries also climbed significantly, rising approximately sevenfold to about 418,000 tons, according to Reuters trade data.
This surge in Belarusian exports is directly linked to a significant shortfall in Russia's domestic refining capacity, exacerbated by Ukrainian drone strikes. Russian refining output in August was down by 25% to 30% from its pre-crisis baseline, leading to fuel shortages at gas stations across the country. Russia has also resorted to importing fuel from other nations and has extended its ban on diesel exports to protect its domestic supply.
Belarus's Naftan and Mozyr refineries are processing Russian crude oil on a tolling basis, converting it for the Russian market. These plants have a combined annual capacity of approximately 24 million tons.
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