The shipments, involving at least 60,000 metric tons of gasoline, have entered Russian waters via third-party traders. Industry sources confirmed that fuel produced by Nayara Energy—a firm where Russia’s Rosneft retains a 49% stake—is among the products reaching Moscow. Puri acknowledged the likelihood of such transactions, noting that while state-aligned or private Indian refiners avoid direct contracts, the secondary market remains fluid.

Moscow’s infrastructure struggles follow a sustained campaign of long-range drone attacks targeting key energy facilities. The Kapotnya refinery, serving the capital, remains offline with repairs expected to stretch into 2027. With national refining throughput hitting two-decade lows, President Vladimir Putin has conceded that government intervention is mandatory to stabilize domestic supply chains during this period of peak demand.