According to Reuters, the facilities of Lukoil, Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, and Surgutneftegas have been affected, collectively producing over 30% of petrol and 25% of diesel in the country. Exchange prices for AI-92 petrol have risen by 2% over the week, while AI-95 has increased by 3%. Year-on-year, petrol prices have surged by 19-24%.

However, experts do not consider the situation to be critical. The attacks do not equate to the cessation of operations at the plants; the damage is expected to be rectified within one to fourteen days. "The market is reacting not to a physical shortage but to the risks of such a shortage," explains Sergey Tereshkin, CEO of Open Oil Market, drawing parallels with the rise in oil quotes before the onset of the Middle Eastern crisis. In the event of fuel shortages in certain regions, Belarus is prepared to supply over 200,000 tonnes of petrol per month duty-free. The Ministry of Energy has reported on market stability, with Novak convening an emergency meeting.

Forbes investigated why there is a perceived petrol shortage on the exchanges while it is not evident at petrol stations, how long it typically takes to restore damaged oil refineries, and how Belarus can assist.

?: Fire at the Tuapse Oil Refinery, April 16, 2026 (Photo: Maxar / Getty Images)