Kazakhstan has limited vehicle entries from Russia and neighbouring countries to one per day to tackle illegal fuel smuggling. The restrictions come amid a surge in Russians crossing the border to buy gasoline, as prices at home soar due to the Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Energy Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev said freight and passenger vehicles were currently prevented from crossing the border more than once per day. Other measures included “identifying vehicles with additional fuel tanks for illegal fuel export,” Tutkyshbayev said in local press.
Forbes Kazakhstan reported that licence plate data showed there had been an increase in drivers from the Russian regions of Samara, Saratov and Orenberg, which border the west of Kazakhstan, visiting gas stations in the Central Asian country.
Kazakhstan’s government said that there had been nearly 600 attempts to illegally export petroleum products from the country since the beginning of the year.
Gasoline prices in western Kazakhstan are around 50 per cent cheaper than prices in the three Russian regions.
Ukraine has carried out a series of attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure in recent months in an attempt to stall Russia’s war. The strikes have triggered fuel shortages and surging prices across the country.
Russia has now introduced a ban on diesel exports in a bid to support the domestic fuel market and last week began importing gasoline from India in an effort to mitigate shortages.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently acknowledged the fuel shortages for the first time, but said they weren’t critical.
"It is absolutely clear that the enemy is trying to harm the economy and, most importantly, create nervous situation in the society. We all understand that this task is impossible to accomplish. The Russian energy system's resilience is very high, one of the highest in the world."
On Thursday (9 July), it's reported that two oil facilities in Russia were hit in Stavropol Krai and Tver.
Meanwhile Moscow fired ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight and sent jet-powered drones over the city throughout Wednesday, killing at least three people, Ukrainian officials said.
Previously this week on Monday, Kyiv’s drones struck Russia’s largest oil refinery in Omsk, deep in Siberia, in one of Ukraine's longest-range attacks of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s has a ban on the export of gasoline, diesel fuel, and certain types of petroleum products until 21 November, 2026. The measures are aimed at ensuring the country’s energy security.
Restrictions on the export of petroleum products have been in effect in Kazakhstan since May 2021 and have been extended on multiple occasions.
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Militants in southwestern Pakistan have killed 42 army and police personnel in multiple attacks, the country’s military has said.
The European Union is exploring ways to support the development of transport routes connecting Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of broader efforts to promote lasting peace and regional integration in the South Caucasus, according to EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Magdalena Grono.
A United Nations investigation has concluded that Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed atrocities amounting to genocide during their siege and capture of el-Fasher in North Darfur last year, while concern is mounting that similar abuses could be unfolding around al-Obeid.
Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and underscoring Kyiv's growing concerns over dwindling supplies of U.S.-made air-defence interceptors.
The U.S. says it has launched strikes on Iran after alleged attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the action as a response to threats against civilian shipping and a breach of the ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
NATO leaders are unveiling multi-billion-dollar arms deals in Ankara as President Donald Trump joins the summit, highlighting Europe's increased defence spending amid tensions over Russia and Iran, and following years of U.S. criticism of the alliance.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, has described fresh U.S. strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary," in remarks at the start of the second day of the alliance's sumit in the Turkish capital Ankara.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 8th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
This is the last of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
This is the third of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
This is the second of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
This is the first of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Militants in southwestern Pakistan have killed 42 army and police personnel in multiple attacks, the country’s military has said.
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