Russia supplies up to 87% of diesel imports in key markets as fuel disruptions threaten trade

Main points

• Russia supplied 87% of Turkey's diesel and gasoil imports.
• Ghana and Brazil relied on Russia for more than 60% of their imports.
• Refinery attacks and export restrictions disrupted Russian fuel supplies in 2026.

Russia accounted for more than half of diesel and gasoil imports in five of its eight largest export markets between January 2025 and June 2026, highlighting the dependence of countries including Turkey, Ghana and Brazil on Russian fuel.

Russia supplied 87% of Turkey's diesel and gasoil imports during the period, followed by Tunisia at 76%, Brazil at 63%, Ghana at 61% and Senegal at 54%, according to the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) Institute's July 2026 Russian Oil Tracker.

The remaining three major markets were Morocco, where Russia accounted for 32% of imports, Egypt at 24% and Libya at 8%.

The eight countries received around 80% of Russia's diesel and gasoil exports during the 18 months, according to KSE.

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The figures highlight the importance of Russian fuel supplies to several African economies, particularly Ghana, Tunisia and Senegal, where diesel is widely used in transport, industry and electricity generation.

However, Russian exports have faced growing disruption. Ukrainian strikes on refineries reduced production, while Moscow introduced restrictions on diesel and gasoil exports in July 2026 to protect domestic supplies.

KSE reported that Russia's oil product exports fell 13.1% in June to about 1.6 million barrels per day, the lowest level on record at the time. Exports fell further in July to 1.36 million barrels per day.

Energy analytics firm Kpler warned in July that Russia's diesel export restrictions could push prices higher, with Brazil expected to seek additional supplies from the United States.

Turkey also began diversifying its suppliers. Kpler data cited in an August report showed Russian diesel arrivals falling to around 80,000 barrels per day that month, compared with more than 200,000 barrels per day in earlier months of 2026.

For countries heavily dependent on Russian diesel, the disruptions have raised concerns about fuel costs and the need to secure alternative suppliers.