Countries in Central Asia have begun buying oil from Iran as the Russian fuel supplies they have long depended on run dry amid Ukraine’s mounting attacks on Russian energy infrastructure to degrade Moscow’s war effort.
asserted
they → begin → effort
In August, Tajikistan announced it was receiving oil and petroleum products from Iran as Dushanbe faces uncertainty over its fuel supply from Russia.
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Dushanbe → announce → Russia
Tehran also agreed to establish a joint refinery in Kyrgyzstan in August, and supply the country with crude oil.
asserted
Tehran → agree → oil
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asserted
it → push → truce
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asserted
Putin → rule → Moscow
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it → release → prices
Moscow has been facing fuel shortages due to Ukrainian drone strikes on its refineries as Russia’s war on its neighbour continues to rage.
asserted
war → face → neighbour
Can the Russian fuel crisis give Iran a new oil opening in Central Asia?
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crisis → give → Asia
Here’s what we know:
Which Central Asian countries have been affected by Russia’s fuel crisis?
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countries → ’ → crisis
Ukraine’s offensive against Russian energy infrastructure has caused panic across Central Asian countries like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which are dependent on Moscow for oil and petroleum products.
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which → cause → products
Tajikistan has traditionally sourced up to 80 percent of its petroleum products from Russia.
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Tajikistan → source → Russia
Kyrgyzstan also relies on petroleum product imports, sourcing more than 90 percent of its petrol from Russia.
asserted
Kyrgyzstan → rely → Russia
“They’ve been hurt the most,” Galiya Ibragimova, a Moldova-based expert on Central Asia with Carnegie Politika, which has its headquarters in Berlin, told Al Jazeera in an interview in August.
asserted
which → hurt → August
Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, the free trade bloc of five former Soviet nations dominated by Russia and the Kremlin’s political decisions.
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Kyrgyzstan → dominate → Russia
Tajikistan is not a member of the group, but it bought discounted Russian fuel as “payment for political loyalty, not because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is so kind”, Ibragimova added.
asserted
Ibragimova → buy → loyalty
Kazakhstan, meanwhile, boasts three giant, Soviet-era oil refineries.
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Kazakhstan → boast → refineries
Still, fuel prices in the country have increased by 15.6 percent this year, the UlusMedia website reported on July 10.
asserted
website → increase → July
Uzbekistan, on the other hand, is less dependent on Russian energy, with domestic production capable of reaching 100,000 tonnes of petroleum products per month, satisfying most of the country’s needs.
asserted
Uzbekistan → reach → needs
But due to the increase in oil demand from its regional neighbours, Uzbekistan has also been forced to diversify its imports and has begun striking deals with countries like Georgia and Iraq.
asserted
Uzbekistan → force → Georgia
Russia has been facing a severe fuel deficit as Kyiv’s drone strikes – launched in an effort to degrade Moscow’s ability to maintain its ongoing invasion of Ukraine – have knocked out an estimated quarter to half of its total oil refining capacity.
asserted
strikes → face → capacity
To tackle the problem, Russia has imposed fuel rationing.
asserted
Russia → tackle → rationing
Sales are often limited to about 20-30 litres (about 5-8 US gallons) per vehicle, and drivers must pump fuel strictly into vehicle tanks.
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drivers → limit → tanks
Filling jerry cans is largely prohibited.
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Filling → fill → cans
Earlier, the government banned petrol and jet fuel exports.
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government → ban → exports
Officials are now weighing a ban on diesel exports, too.
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Officials → weigh → exports
Authorities have loosened fuel-quality regulations, temporarily allowing lower-grade fuel for the domestic market.
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Authorities → loosen → market
A state of emergency has also been declared in Russian-occupied Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
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Moscow → declare → 2014
A Russian-owned oil firm in India, Nayara Energy, has reportedly sold petroleum to Russia.
uncertain
firm → own → Russia
While Russian President Putin acknowledges the crisis, he appears reluctant to end the war on Ukraine and insists the situation is under control.
“These attacks on our facilities certainly create problems – that is obvious.
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that → acknowledge → problems
We are currently seeing a certain shortage, though I would say it is not critical,” he said earlier this year.
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he → see → shortage
“First and foremost, we have to rapidly and significantly increase production of air defence systems that are most in demand.
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that → have → demand
We must also continue to improve them…
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We → continue → them
Repairs at refineries must be completed more quickly.”
So, how is Iran helping Central Asia?
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Iran → complete → Asia
Amid Russian fuel shortages, Central Asian countries like Tajikistan have begun striking deals with Iran.
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countries → begin → Iran
In August, Tajikistan’s Energy and Water Resources Ministry told the Asia-Plus news agency that the country is receiving oil and petroleum products from Iran.
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country → tell → Iran
The ministry has not disclosed the route used to transport the products, but Tajikistan expects to receive 2.55 million tonnes of oil and petroleum products from Iran.
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Tajikistan → disclose → Iran
Besides Tajikistan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian welcomed a proposal from Kyrgyzstan in August to establish a joint refinery in the Central Asian country, according to a report by Iran’s Tasnim news agency,
uncertain
Pezeshkian → welcome → agency
Under the agreement, Pezeshkian said, “The crude oil needed by the refinery can be supplied by Iran, and the products can be divided between the two sides.”
asserted
products → say → sides
Will exporting oil to Central Asian countries help Iran?
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exporting → export → Iran
The United States and Israel’s war on Iran has affected Tehran’s oil revenues.
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war → affect → revenues
…and 35 more, not listed.
The Aporia
