Central Asia Seeks Alternatives as Russia's Fuel Crisis Bites

Russia's fuel crisis is reshaping Central Asia's established fuel supply routes. Disruptions at Russian oil refineries have led to Kyrgyzstan seeking supplies from China, while Tajikistan has requested large volumes of crude oil and fuel from Iran.

Kyrgyzstan, which relies heavily on imported fuel, has been hit hard by the crisis. The country's largest refinery is undergoing modernization and expansion, but it still needs to import much of its oil. Bishkek is also negotiating with Chinese companies for petroleum product supplies.

Tajikistan, meanwhile, is considering a more significant shift in its fuel supply strategy. Dushanbe has requested 2.55 million tonnes of crude oil and petroleum products from Iran, including 2 million tonnes of crude, 300,000 tonnes of diesel, 150,000 tonnes of gasoline, and 100,000 tonnes of jet fuel.