Russia turns to foreign aviation fuel supplies amid falling domestic production – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence
Russia has been forced to purchase fuel for military aircraft from abroad due to a decline in its own kerosene production following strikes by Ukraine's defence forces.
Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU)
Details: DIU reported that Russia has temporarily banned exports of aviation fuel and purchased a batch of Jet A-1 kerosene. This fuel is equivalent to the Russian and Soviet TS-1 and RT grades of kerosene used in gas turbine aircraft engines.
The Russians may use imported aviation fuel not only for fighter jets and cargo aircraft, but also for jet-powered UAVs.
Quote: "Jet A-1 is fully compatible and suitable for use in Russian aircraft in service with the aggressor state's armed forces – MiG-29, Su-34 (NVO), Su-35S, Su-30SM, Su-57, Su-24M and Tu-95MS (MSM). Jet A-1 fuel can also be used to fuel Geran-4 and Geran-5 jet-powered attack drones fitted with Telefly TJ2000A (TF-TJ2000A) turbojet engines or their Russian copies, the TRD-2000."
More details: DIU has obtained documentary evidence that Russian forces are using Jet A-1 fuel in Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with PS-90A-76 engines, for which the manufacturer recommends the use of Russian TS-1 fuel.
Russia has purchased at least 70,000 tonnes of aviation fuel from South Korea and Egypt, DIU said. The kerosene was delivered to Russia aboard three shadow fleet tankers, which sailed to ports in St Petersburg and Vladivostok.
Quote: "These are the vessels Hanna (IMO 9397456, flying the flag of Panama and subject to Ukrainian sanctions), Capibara (IMO 9267027, flying the flag of Indonesia and subject to Ukrainian sanctions) and the Russian vessel Astoria (IMO 9166314, subject to the sanctions from the UK, Ukraine, Australia, the EU, Switzerland and Canada)."
More details: In early August 2026, the tanker Astoria delivered 11,000 tonnes of Jet A-1 aviation fuel from Ulsan, South Korea, to Russia's Independent Petroleum Company, which is under Ukrainian sanctions. The company supplies fuel to the Russian Armed Forces, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and other Russian entities.
DIU said the remaining 59,000 tonnes of aviation kerosene had been delivered from the Egyptian port of El Dekheila by two other tankers.
Background:
- It was reported earlier that OSINT analysts posted video footage showing damage to a Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber following a strike by Ukraine's defence forces on the Engels-2 airfield on 28 August.
- Earlier, DIU published information on 79 companies involved in the production of Russia's Su-35S multirole fighter jets.
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