Crossroads Asia | Economy | Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Grit Their Teeth Amid Growing Central Asian Fuel Crisis

With Ukrainian drone attacks putting the pinch on Russia’s oil industry, the Central Asian region faces a fuel crisis too. 

Several Central Asian governments have had to implement emergency fuel management measures in recent days amid a worsening regional fuel crisis prompted by Russia’s July 8 ban on diesel exports, and ongoing disruptions to its refining sector caused by Ukraine’s escalating drone campaign. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are facing an especially bad supply crunch due to their near-total dependence on petroleum product imports from Russia, but other Central Asian governments are also being affected, with fuel prices rising across the entire region in recent weeks.

Moscow typically exempts petroleum product deliveries made to Central Asia from export restrictions under intergovernmental agreements within the auspices of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), allowing fuel supplies to continue reaching the region even during domestic shortages or refining disruptions. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are both members of the EAEU, alongside Armenia, Belarus, and Russia.

But due to Ukraine’s incessant attacks on both Black Sea energy infrastructure and harder-to-reach refining facilities as far inland as the Urals, the sheer amount of damage caused has raised serious questions about Russia’s ability to continue to honor these agreements. 

Operations are currently halted at several of the country’s primary oil refineries, including the Omsk refinery in western Siberia, the country’s largest oil processing facility and an important export hub for Central Asia. According to Reuters, Russia’s gasoline output is able to meet less than two-thirds of domestic demand at present, and the sight of motorists waiting for hours, and, in some regions, days, is now increasingly common across the country.

For the Central Asian countries, it appears that the most serious effects of this situation will be felt when it comes to supplies of jet fuel and gasoline. Last month, exports of these products from Russia to the region fell by more than 92 percent and 34 percent, respectively, Reuters reported on July 13. 

Russian diesel production, meanwhile, is also well below historic markers. According to data from intelligence firm ⁠Kpler, the country’s export figures averaged just 214,000 barrels per day (BPD) during the first week of July, compared to much higher rates of 793,000 BPD in July 2025, and 842,000 BPD ​in July 2021, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

As things stand, Kyrgyzstan is likely to be the Central Asian country most seriously affected by the regional fuel crisis. Russian imports historically accounted for some 95 percent of Kyrgyz petroleum products. Due to Russia’s ongoing fuel shortages, Bishkek had already implemented a gasoline price freeze and fuel subsidies through September 30. On July 14, Kyrgyzstan’s government announced that it was banning fuel exports “until ​such time as the domestic market is saturated.” 

In addition to this indefinite ban, Kyrgyzstan also said at the start of July that it would try to obtain fuel from alternative sources, including from China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, although it is unclear to what extent these or other partners will be able to shore up the situation. Based on figures from newly signed agreements, Bishkek is reportedly set to receive a combined 6,000 tons of jet fuel and 10,000 tons of diesel from Belarus and China, with negotiations underway to........

© The Diplomat