MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/. Russian diesel fuel, with exports having resumed in mid-October, will easily find buyers regardless of political shifts in Washington or the European Union, Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund, wrote in a column for TASS.

"Should another political shift occur, the Russian side stands to lose nothing, as markets in the Global South offer fully competitive prices," the expert noted. According to him, redirecting tankers would simply represent a natural return to traditional sales destinations for Russia, with Turkey, Brazil, and nations in North Africa and Asia serving as its key buyers.

Yushkov pointed out that Western media reports alleging a "deal collapse" due to changes in tanker routes had been debunked. "Vessel maneuvers at sea are not a political statement, but a routine practice. As a ship travels, its cargo may change ownership and destination several times depending on market conditions," he explained.

Addressing the situation in the Middle East, the expert noted that market fluctuations amid the US Congressional elections do not reflect physical market realities. "There is a growing realization that the Strait of Hormuz could remain closed for a very long time. The US Navy remains stationed in the Gulf of Oman, blocking Iranian oil exports, while Tehran is blocking tankers from other nations. This status quo does not depend on which party controls the US Congress," Yushkov said.

He also drew attention to the critical depletion of global inventories. According to him, global diesel stocks have plunged to a 35-year low, with around 1 billion barrels of oil already drawn from reserves. The emergency release of 411.9 million barrels from the strategic stocks of International Energy Agency (IEA) member states, agreed upon in March, covered only a fraction of those volumes, the expert added.

"The steady depletion of reserves will keep prices high even in the hypothetical scenario that the Strait of Hormuz reopens tomorrow. After all, crude will then have to be purchased not just for current consumption, but also to replenish, expand, or build up strategic reserves," Yushkov concluded.