The Russian government on Thursday announced a six-month ban on gasoline exports starting Friday, a decision taken to “stabilize” domestic gasoline prices ahead of presidential elections in mid-March, AFP reported.

“As of March 1, the government is introducing a temporary ban on the export of gasoline,” the government said in a statement.

This measure, introduced for a period of “six months” until August 31, is designed to “support a stable situation on the fuel market during the period of increased demand associated with spring work”, especially at the level of several refineries, the press service notes. explanations of the government.

The ban also comes two weeks before a presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is expected to be re-elected to the Kremlin, given the destruction of the opposition in recent years.

However, the ban will not apply to “supplies made within the framework of international intergovernmental agreements, including agreements with member states of the Eurasian Economic Union” — Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia,” the government said.

On Wednesday, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Oleksandr Novak officially predicted this statement and explained: “When the market is oversaturated, then, of course, steps will be taken to lift the ban.”

The measure was already introduced by Russia in the fall of 2023 in response to soaring fuel prices, a phenomenon that has increasingly eroded the purchasing power of Russians already suffering from the fall in the ruble due to sanctions.

According to official data, in 2023, 43.9 million tons of gasoline were produced in Russia.

As the Russian economy is focused on the military effort to support the military offensive in Ukraine, revenues from the sale of hydrocarbons are becoming important for Moscow.

However, in recent months, the Ukrainian military has used explosive drones to strike Russian oil storage facilities, depriving Moscow of important resources.