Russia floods Afghanistan with liquefied gas shipments due to EU sanctions – Reuters

Russia almost doubled its exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Central Asian countries and Afghanistan in January-November 2025, increasing shipments to 1.016 million tonnes.

Source: Reuters

Details: Moscow has been forced to redirect LPG supplies (propane and butane) away from Europe after the EU imposed restrictions on imports of Russian LPG in December 2024 over Russia's war against Ukraine.

LPG is mainly used as vehicle fuel, for heating and in petrochemical production.

Traders say that deliveries to Afghanistan, as well as to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, now account for around 36% of Russia's total LPG exports, compared with about 19% in 2024.

Afghanistan has become the largest buyer of Russian LPG in the region. In July, Russia accepted the credentials of Afghanistan's new ambassador, becoming the first country to effectively recognise the Taliban government.

According to sources, Russian LPG shipments to Afghanistan – including supplies from Kazrosgaz (a joint venture with Kazakhstan) – increased by 1.5 times in the first 11 months of the year, reaching 418,000 tonnes.

Traders note that the rise in Russian LPG supplies to Afghanistan has partly come at the expense of deliveries from Iran, which is under US sanctions.

Background: A Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant recently shipped its first cargo to China by tanker via Africa following the introduction of US sanctions in January, providing further evidence of growing energy cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!