These statistics were concealed during recent AFU strikes on infrastructure supplying fuel to the Russian military.
The Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation (Rosstat) has completely stopped publishing data on the production of petroleum products in Russia.
The media drew attention to this fact after the publication on August 28 of the report on the dynamics of industrial production in Russia for the period January-July.
The list of statistical data does not include information on monthly volumes of production of diesel fuel, heating oil, liquefied propane and butane, coal coke and semi-coke. The report also does not provide data on the production of stable gas condensate.
The agency states in the report that “information on the production of oil products is not published on the basis of the decision of the Russian government.”
The Russian edition of Kommersant asked the Energy Ministry for a comment, which responded that “often, the statistical data on fuel production published by Rosstat can be used to exert unjustified pressure on the market and create artificial excitement.”
Observers note that production data has disappeared as oil depots supplying the Russian military have recently been hit by AFU strikes and an explosion occurred at the Omsk refinery, which lost 41% of its capacity, according to Reuters. The strategically important facility produces a tenth of Russia’s gasoline and diesel.
In late May, Rosstat published statistics on gasoline production in Russia. The Energy Ministry also said at the time that the data was closed in the interests of security due to the “geopolitical situation.”
On August 1, Russia resumed its ban on gasoline exports, which will last until the end of the year.