Russian refineries were allowed to produce lower-quality fuel because of the risk ...

Russian refineries have been allowed to produce lower-quality fuel because of the risk of shortages

The Russian government has extended permission for some refineries to produce gasoline and diesel fuel with deviations from the Euro-5 standard in order to reduce the risk of shortages on the domestic market, Kommersant writes.

The easing allows fuel to be produced with a higher sulfur content, effectively at the Euro-3 standard level. It can be sold only in Russia, and the Energy Ministry has been put in charge of monitoring output volumes.

According to experts, the measure will only partially ease shortages in certain regions. At the same time, such fuel may be less safe for modern cars.