Diesel Deal Increases Pressure on Putin’s Ports and Shipping
A diesel supply deal between Presidents Trump and Putin overturns a Russian export ban introduced on July 8, at a time when Russia faces domestic diesel shortages. Ukrainian long-range drone and cruise missile strikes have hit the six primary diesel production sites, and diesel production is estimated to have fallen by nearly 30 per cent. Reduced volumes reaching export ports face further disruption, with Tuapse having gone months without loading a cargo and little flowing through Novorossiysk.
Why it matters: The targeting of refineries and export terminals makes energy security a central constraint on Russia's diesel exports.