The Russian government has temporarily authorized the production, import and sale of Euro-2, Euro-3 and Euro-4 gasoline to increase domestic fuel supplies, according to a written statement from the Russian Energy Ministry.
The authorization is valid until July 1, 2027. The resolution was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Aug. 5 (claim:4), published on Russia's Official Legal Information Portal and has entered into force (claim:5).
The Russian Energy Ministry said the measure is temporary and is intended to ensure stable fuel supplies and prevent possible shortages. The ministry added that the decision does not represent a change in Russia's long-term environmental policy on motor fuels.
Fuel stations in Russia will be required to clearly display the environmental classification of the gasoline they sell, according to the ministry.
Euro-2, Euro-3 and Euro-4 gasoline can contain higher levels of sulfur and certain other pollutants than Euro-5 fuel (claim:10), which has been the main fuel standard in Russia.
The move follows Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, which have forced several facilities to suspend operations or undergo repairs, putting pressure on fuel production and distribution in some regions. Russian authorities have introduced restrictions on fuel sales in parts of the country, and the government previously banned exports of gasoline and diesel fuel to protect domestic supplies and stabilize the market.
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The Russian Energy Ministry described the move as an 'anti-crisis measure' amid a nationwide fuel shortage, recalling that Euro-2 fuel was banned in 2013 for its high pollutant levels and that Russia had fully transitioned to Euro-5 standards by 2016 — with Euro-2 permitting up to 50 times more sulfur than Euro-5; additionally, the government extended its export ban on gasoline and diesel through January 2027, while the national average gasoline price, at 77.69 rubles per liter as of August 3, dipped 1.4% last week after rising 17.7% since the start of the year.
The Russian Energy Ministry described the move as an 'anti-crisis measure' amid a nationwide fuel shortage, recalling that Euro-2 fuel was banned in 2013 for its high pollutant levels and that Russia had fully transitioned to Euro-5 standards by 2016 — with Euro-2 permitting up to 50 times more sulfur than Euro-5; additionally, the government has extended its ban on gasoline and diesel exports through January 2027, while the national average gasoline price, at 77.69 rubles per liter as of August 3, dipped 1.4% last week after rising 17.7% since January.
The Russian Energy Ministry framed the move as an anti-crisis response to a nationwide fuel shortage, with gasoline production at just 65% of seasonal demand and diesel barely meeting domestic needs; as a result, imports from Belarus surged—gasoline up 25-fold and diesel sevenfold—while Russia also sought additional supplies from India, Kazakhstan, and Morocco, and now permits up to 3% methanol in fuel, repealing the prior allowance for K5-class gasoline until end-2026.
Russia's new regulation not only permits Euro-2 to Euro-4 gasoline until July 2027 but also repeals the prior allowance for K5 high-sulfur fuel and now permits up to 3% methanol in gasoline, while gasoline production has fallen to 65% of seasonal demand and diesel output barely meets domestic needs, prompting a 25-fold surge in gasoline imports from Belarus—reaching 665,000 tons—and seven-fold increase in diesel imports to 418,000 tons in the first seven months of 2026.
Russia's new regulation, which permits gasoline with up to 3% methanol and reauthorizes Euro-2 to Euro-4 fuel until July 2027, repeals a prior rule allowing K5 high-sulfur gasoline until end-2026, as gasoline production fell to 65% of seasonal demand and imports from Belarus surged 25-fold for gasoline and seven-fold for diesel; experts warn that sulfur levels up to 500 mg/kg—50 times higher than Euro-5—can damage modern emissions systems and worsen urban air pollution.
