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Russia Loses Latin America’s Biggest Diesel Buyer as Brazil Cuts Imports
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Brazil, one of the world’s top oil producers, has sharply reduced its imports of Russian diesel as US sanctions and supply constraints inside Russia begin to reshape global fuel flows, Financial Times (FT) reported on November 11.
According to FT, Brazil had become one of Moscow’s largest fuel customers after Western nations halted purchases of Russian crude and refined products.
But the paper noted that Russian diesel’s share of Brazilian imports fell from 60% in the first half of 2025 to just 17% in October, citing official trade data.
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FT wrote that while Brazil produces large quantities of crude oil, its limited refining capacity means it still imports about one-third of its diesel.
The recent decline in Russian deliveries, the outlet said, stems from a mix of legal uncertainty, sanctions risks, and lower export availability from Russia due to domestic demand and Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries.
A spokesperson for Saara Combustíveis, a major fuel distributor, told FT that the reduction was driven by “the consequences of legal and regulatory uncertainty.”
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Another firm, Oil Trading, which imports fuel for the retail chain Ipiranga, told the paper it avoids deals that could breach sanctions, but does not expect shortages on Brazil’s domestic market.
Sérgio Araújo, president of the Brazilian fuel importers’ association Abicom, told FT that supply problems also stem from “very high internal demand in Russia, which reduced availability [of diesel], as well as the fact that some Russian refineries have been shut down following drone attacks and maintenance.”
Citing data from Wood Mackenzie, FT reported that about 40% of Russia’s fuel exports to Brazil come from refineries operated by Rosneft and Lukoil, both sanctioned by Washington in October under new measures imposed by President Donald Trump. Those restrictions, FT said, could further complicate Russia’s ability to deliver fuel to Latin America.
Brazil had ramped up fuel purchases from Russia from $95 million in 2022 to $5.4 billion in 2024, FT noted, citing the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
Between early 2023 and September 2025, Brazil accounted for 12% of all Russian fuel exports, trailing only Turkey’s 26%. China’s share was roughly equal at 12%.
The Financial Times reported that discounts on Russian fuel compared with US-made diesel—once as steep as 16% in mid-2023—have now largely disappeared after accounting for freight costs, undermining one of the key incentives for Brazil to keep buying.
“Russian diesel is gradually being replaced by imports from the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, and Oman,” FT quoted Rodrigo Jacob, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie, as saying.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia’s seaborne crude shipments dropped sharply, marking the largest decline since January 2024, as the latest round of US sanctions led key buyers, including China, India, and Türkiye, to pause purchases of Russian oil.
