Skip to content
Sign in
Energy · Asia Pacific

EU leads September purchases of fuel refined from Russian crude, CREA estimates

The EU bought oil products worth 667 million euros in September from refineries processing Russian crude, according to the Times of India’s account of a CREA estimate. CREA estimated that 295 million euros’ worth of products exported from refineries in India, Turkiye and Brunei had been refined from Russian crude.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 4 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 4 outlets · 1 article captured only in partHow it's made

View timeline · 7 entries
4 outletsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: Center OnlyL 0 · C 4 · R 0
File photo
Photo: EmDee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

What happened

Key facts

  • CREA estimated that 295 million euros’ worth of exported products had been refined from Russian crude (per The Times of India).
  • The value of exports reported as destined for EU ports from refineries processing Russian crude rose 80% during September (per The Times of India).
  • The Times of India reported that the EU ban on oil products refined from Russian crude took effect in January 2026 (per The Times of India).
  • CREA said Vadinar overtook Jamnagar as India’s largest importer of Russian crude (per The Times of India).

The brief

The European Union was the largest buyer in September of oil products from refineries processing Russian crude, importing products worth 667 million euros, the Times of India reported, citing figures from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). CREA estimated that 295 million euros’ worth of exported products had been refined from Russian crude.

CREA’s figures cover fuel shipments from refineries in India, Turkiye and Brunei to Western markets. Their export values rose 43% from August, according to the Times of India’s account of the research. The article also reported an 80% monthly increase in the value of exports listed as destined for EU ports from refineries processing Russian crude.

The outlet reported that Australia purchased oil products worth 168 million euros, while the US bought products valued at 154 million euros and New Zealand bought 19 million euros’ worth. Together with the EU’s 667 million euros, those figures account for the article’s stated total of 1 billion euros in September purchases by the four markets.

The article also gave a dollar equivalent of $1.2 billion for that total. The article said the EU’s ban on oil products refined from Russian crude took effect in January 2026. It reported the export figures alongside that restriction, but did not establish that the ban caused the monthly changes.

CREA’s estimate that 295 million euros’ worth of products had been refined from Russian crude is distinct from the overall value of the purchases cited for the four markets. CREA also reported a shift among Indian buyers of Russian crude: Vadinar overtook Jamnagar as India’s largest importer.

Separately, the IOC Mundra Oil Terminal received 570 thousand tonnes of Russian crude in September, after receiving none in August, according to CREA. The Times of India’s account said India imported Russian hydrocarbons worth 4.1 billion euros in September 2026.

CREA’s figures, as reported by the outlet, put coal at 309 million euros and oil products at 161 million euros of those imports. These figures describe India’s Russian fossil-fuel purchases, rather than the value of fuel exports from the three countries to Western markets.

Why it matters

  • The EU’s purchases—667 million euros in September—are the largest stated market figure, while the article says the EU ban on products refined from Russian crude took effect in January 2026.
  • CREA estimated 295 million euros’ worth of exported products had been refined from Russian crude, providing a measure of the crude origin within the reported trade.
  • The figures identify India, Turkiye and Brunei as shipment origins and list Australia, the US, New Zealand and the EU as buyers, with their respective reported purchase values.

What to watch next

  • Whether CREA reports further changes in the export values from refineries in India, Turkiye and Brunei; the reported September figure was up 43% from August.
  • Whether the value of exports listed as destined for EU ports from refineries processing Russian crude changes after the 80% monthly increase CREA reported.
  • Whether Vadinar remains ahead of Jamnagar as India’s largest importer of Russian crude, as CREA reported it had overtaken Jamnagar.
  • Whether the IOC Mundra Oil Terminal receives Russian crude in later months after taking 570 thousand tonnes in September and none in August.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
4 source articles · 4 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Center Only· 4 Center
Where the outlets are based: Asia 100%
Outlet political mix
Center Only
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
4 outlets
0 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
4 unique outletsDominant coverage: Asia
Coverage imbalance
  • Coverage is currently concentrated among Center-rated outlets (4 of 4 rated sources); comparatively few Left or Right-rated outlets have published on the event.
  • Coverage is currently concentrated among outlets based in Asia (4 of 4 geographically-identified sources).
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

Updat3 does not yet have enough full reports to compare how outlets framed this story.

Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. Indian companies built large refining capacity, including Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery, whose first phase began operations in 1999.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. Russia annexed Crimea, which Ukraine rejected.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  4. On December 5, 2022, the EU prohibited most seaborne imports of Russian crude oil.
    Background · from our historical context
  5. The G7 and its partners introduced a price cap on Russian crude.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. On February 5, 2023, it extended the embargo to Russian refined petroleum products.
    Background · from our historical context
  7. The EU’s ban on oil products refined from Russian crude took effect.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

Before the European Union’s embargo on Russian petroleum products took effect on February 5, 2023, India had already become a major buyer of Russian crude after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

In 2021, Russian crude made up only a small share of India’s oil imports; in 2022, Indian refiners increased purchases as Russian barrels were offered at discounts. India did not join the Western sanctions imposed on Russia. The European Union’s restrictions reshaped the trade in stages. On December 5, 2022, the EU prohibited most seaborne imports of Russian crude oil.

Original sources

4 articles from 4 outlets · Asia · Show all

Every story links to the reporting it was built from. How we choose sources

Spotted a factual error, a broken link or a misleading summary? Tell us.