Russia's Energy Ministry has proposed two ways to support gasoline and diesel imports, both involving additional increases in retail fuel prices, Kommersant reported on October 22 after reviewing details of an appeal from Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
According to the newspaper, foreign fuel supplies remain unprofitable for oil companies despite existing compensation mechanisms. The first option would include transport costs in the calculation of an import subsidy mechanism known as the damper and raise pump prices by approximately 1.6 rubles per liter. It would require additional budget payments of up to 2 billion rubles a month.
The second option would increase retail prices by about 2.1 rubles per liter without changing the damper formula. Kommersant reports that the Finance Ministry finds this option more acceptable because it does not require additional direct budget spending. The paper did not report any final government decision.
The discussion comes amid disruptions to fuel refining following strikes on Russian oil refineries and continued difficulties supplying the domestic market. The figures are estimates for proposed measures; it would be premature to describe the increases as already implemented at filling stations nationwide.