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Russia’s aviation may face jet fuel deficit – Okulov

Russia’s air carriers will face a serious deficit of fuel, if the federal state reserves agency (Rosreserv) does not make available its reserves

MOSCOW, October 10 (Itar-Tass) — Russia’s air carriers will face a serious deficit of fuel, if the federal state reserves agency (Rosreserv) does not make available its reserves, Deputy Transport Minister Valery Okulov told reporters on Monday.

“Without the state reserves the shortage of jet fuel will be felt already in October,” he said reiterating that the country’s aviation industry has been experiencing the deficit since late August.

The deficit “emerged out of nothing,” the minister said.

Okulov noted that at present, much more fuel is consumed than in 2007, but several oil refineries were shut down for maintenance.

Moreover, the situation was affected by the fact that the Defence Ministry bought additional volumes of jet fuel on the market.

As a result, “there is no fuel on the free market,” he said.

At the same time the minister underlined that the country’s large air carriers get fuel directly from oil companies.

In particular, the director-general of Russia’s flag carrier, Aeroflot, Vitaly Savelyev, said the company felt no problems with jet fuel.

Russia’s government “took a principal decision on the allocation of 180,000 tonnes of jet fuel from Rosreserv for Moscow’s air hub,” Okulov said.

This fuel will be enough to meet the air carriers’ demands until the first quarter of 2012, when oil refineries resume their operation after the maintenance works.