Australia still buying Russian-refined fuel while Europe and Britain have
Australia has imported $16.5 billion in fuel made partly from Russian oil since 2022, while the EU and UK banned it.
Nearly 100 civil society groups have written to Prime Minister Albanese demanding Australia ban fuel refined from Russian crude oil. Australia imported $480 million of this fuel in the first seven months of 2026 alone.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the total reached $16.5 billion, generating $1.7 billion for Moscow. The European Union banned Russian-refined fuel in January, followed by Britain in May.
Both bans cut Russian fuel exports sharply. But refineries in India and Brunei redirected the fuel to Australia, which remains the primary destination for some Russian-linked products.
The Australian government banned direct Russian imports in 2022 but left a loophole: refined fuel can still enter if processed overseas first.
- $16.5 billion
- Total fuel value since 2022
- $480 million
- 2026 year-to-date imports
- $1.7 billion
- Revenue to Moscow
- Nearly 100 civil society organisations
- Signatory groups
Why it mattersAustralia is inadvertently funding Russia's war effort through imports that allies have successfully blocked, raising questions about sanctions enforcement and national security commitment.
AustraliaThe Albanese government faces domestic pressure to match allied nations' bans and stop Australian fuel security from propping up Russian state revenues.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 50 min ago
