MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Russia will seek after reducing the discount for its oil to the level of about $10 per barrel, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at the meeting with students in Sirius.

"At the best of times, I mean the period before sanctions, our oil discount was at the level of about $10 per barrel. We will strive to reduce this figure approximately to such level, [we] are working in this area," Novak said.

Russian oil prices are now lower than planned in the socioeconomic development forecast, the official said. "This is associated with different factors, including the dip of the average Brent price and the decline of the Urals price, related in particular to redirecting our products to markets at a longer distance, as I have already said," Novak noted. Markets at a longer range imply an increase in transportation costs, he added.

The Russian government is working now to reduce the existing discount within the framework of competition, marine transportation and insurance, Novak said.