MOSCOW: Russia has almost doubled its exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Central Asian countries and Afghanistan during the January–November period this year, reaching 1.016 million metric tons, industry sources told Reuters on Friday.
The surge comes as Moscow redirects LPG supplies away from Europe following the European Union’s restrictions on Russian LPG imports imposed in December 2024 over the Ukraine conflict. LPG, which includes propane and butane, is widely used for transport fuel, heating and petrochemical production.
Traders said shipments to Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan now account for around 36 percent of Russia’s total LPG exports, up from 19 percent last year. Afghanistan has emerged as the largest regional buyer, with supplies rising 1.5 times to 418,000 tons in the first 11 months, partly replacing declining Iranian exports amid US sanctions.
By Reuters
