Belarus to Be the Transit Country for Russian Oil Products to Ukraine, Expert Says

The delivery block of Russian oil products to Ukraine will lead to virtual re-export of the diesel fuel through Belarus.

Aliaksei Belahoryeu, deputy director general on energy of the Institute for Energy and Finance, shared his opinion with TASS.

"The delivery expansion of Russian diesel fuel to Belarus and its further virtual re-export to Ukraine will be the most probable result of the delivery block," he stated.

Belahoryeu stressed that Russian oil companies would not be "shocked", since September 2015 they have faced stiff restrictions on deliveries of the diesel fuel to Ukraine, introduced by Russia.

On Wednesday while opening the sitting of the Council of Ministers, the prime minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed that on April 8 the government would consider the issue on import ban of Russian oil products.

In 2015 the total delivery output of Russian oil products (mostly the diesel fuel) made up just a shy of 2 million of tons. In 2015, according to data of the CDU TEK, Russia imported 45.1 millions of tons of the diesel fuel. Thus, deliveries to Ukraine make up less than 5% of the total Russian export of the diesel fuel.

In 2015 Ukraine imported 6.76 million of tons of oil products and it made up 91% of the domestic consumption. Almost 72% of the import accrues to the diesel fuel, and 21% to gasoline.

Russia's share in the import of diesel fuel to Ukraine equals to 27%, and gasoline - 5%. Belarus and Lithuania are the main peers of Russia in deliveries of oil products to Ukraine. Thus, both countries deliver goods made of Russian oil.