The owner of the largest refineries in Turkey has changed his mind about abandoning oil from Russia

Turkey's largest oil refiner has resumed importing Russian oil. The pause lasted one month. Tupras feared new US sanctions. However, the price of Russian raw materials has fallen below the Big Seven price limit of $ 60, and the oil itself is transported by tankers that have not been sanctioned.

Tupras has resumed importing Russian oil and will receive at least two shipments in April. It is reported by Reuters with reference to three sources.

"They reported that Tupras resumed purchases after Urals crude oil prices fell to the lowest level since 2023, falling below the G7 price limit of $ 60 per barrel," the agency reports.

According to AIS vessels, one of the cargoes for Tupras is the tanker Nissos Christiana, which belongs to the Greek shipowner. The vessel will deliver 730 thousand barrels from Ust-Luga to Izmit on April 21.

"Tupras became one of the largest importers of Russian oil after the start of SMO in 2022, while Russian oil accounted for 65% of total oil imports to the country in January-November 2024," Reuters cites data from the Turkish regulator.

Tupras owns two refineries and is the largest oil refiner in the country — 467 thousand barrels per day.

The pause with the purchase of Russian oil lasted one month, March, when the US restrictions came into force. On January 10, the United States announced new sanctions against the Russian oil industry, which included Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegaz, dozens of traders and more than 160 tankers.

As reported by EADaily, Tupras also owns a fleet of tankers, which, according to AIS data of vessels, continue to transport Russian oil.