Citing data from Kpler and LSEG, the report stated that Urals shipments fell by 100,000 barrels per day from October to about 200,000 barrels per day.
Since the European Union’s 2022 pivot away from Russian energy, Turkey has emerged as one of the world’s largest buyers of Russian crude and ranks second among maritime importers of Urals, Russia’s flagship export grade.
According to Reuters, the decline in Urals purchases is likely caused by U.S. sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, which have limited the pool of sellers that Turkish refiners can deal with. A planned EU ban on fuel products made from Russian oil, set to take effect at the end of January 2026, has also nudged Turkish companies to diversify their crude sources.
Kpler’s data indicate that as Urals supplies waned, Turkey boosted imports of alternative grades, including Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend and KEBCO, and Iraq’s Basrah. In November, Turkey imported 105,000 barrels per day of CPC Blend—the highest volume since February 2024.
On Oct. 22, the United States, for the first time under President Donald Trump’s second administration, imposed new sanctions on Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. The restrictions came into effect on Nov. 21.
Reuters earlier reported that Russia’s federal budget revenues from oil and gas exports in November 2025 are expected to fall by 35% compared to November 2024, to $6.59 billion.