For logistics companies that purchase fuel through intermediaries, the usual purchase scheme stops working within a week. The change looks like a technical detail of the exchange regulations, but in practice it rebuilds the entire fuel purchase chain for thousands of companies across the country.
The wording of the exchange is straightforward: "From 07/21/2026, you can buy gasoline on the exchange only for your own consumption or for third parties — end users. For third parties, gasoline can only be purchased by bidders of the following categories: a member of the exchange, a member of the Petroleum Products section.
The site refers to end users who use fuel for their own needs, have the capacity to process purchased products, use petroleum products in tolling or processing contracts to produce new products, or own a network of gas stations. Additionally, starting from July 21, on the condition of delivery of the "free-carriage departure station", the buyer must explicitly indicate that the recipient is the end user and provide an official assurance of the intended use of fuel. A violation is considered a violation of the rules of organized trading and may result in suspension or complete termination of access to trading.
Market participants describe what is happening without exaggeration: "a sharp breakdown of stock trading" in one week. The majority of end users — an estimated 8-9 thousand companies — have been purchasing fuel through traders for years precisely because direct access to the stock exchange requires the status of an accredited participant, which most logistics and transport companies do not have.
The exchange explains the measure as aimed at increasing the transparency of supply chains and ensuring priority access to petroleum products for those who actually use them. The context of the decision is a seasonal increase in demand, unscheduled repairs at refineries, high prices and already existing restrictions on the export of gasoline and diesel fuel, due to which some regions of the country faced a local shortage of fuels and lubricants this summer.
For transport companies with their own fleets, the issue now has only two practical solutions. The first is to register the end—user status on the exchange yourself, which requires confirmation of the relevant criteria and time for accreditation. The second is to urgently find a member of the Petroleum Products section who is ready to act in your interests and at your expense by signing a corresponding assignment agreement by July 21. This week's delay means the risk of being left without direct access to exchange-traded fuel at a time when independent gas station operators are already switching to direct purchases from major oil companies at the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
