No changes to fuel damper currently planned - dep Russian finance minister

CHOLPON-ATA. Aug 6 (Interfax) - No changes to the fuel damper are currently being discussed, Deputy Russian Finance Minister Alexey Sazanov told reporters.

Asked whether changes were possible given the significant payments made to oil companies in recent months, he said no discussions were taking place because domestic market fuel prices were stable - the formula is tied to the average monthly fuel price on the exchange.

"No, there are no plans at the moment. Domestic market prices are stable, so there are no discussions," Sazanov said.

Asked whether the damper might be adjusted to compensate oil companies to protect their businesses, Sazanov said: "No, the damper will definitely not increase."

He did not comment on planned damper payments for fuel imports, referring the question to the budget department.

The fuel damper has been in effect since 2019. It is paid out of the budget as a subsidy to oil companies to help keep domestic fuel prices stable when export netbacks are high. If there is a positive difference between the export price of fuel and the indicative domestic price set by legislation - meaning exporting becomes more profitable than supplying the domestic market - the government pays oil companies, and if the difference is negative, oil companies make payments to the budget.

As external factors worsened at the beginning of 2026 with a drop in oil prices and increase in the discount on Russian crude, oil companies paid 15 billion rubles to the treasury under the fuel damper in March for February and 18.8 billion rubles in February for January.

But the following month, the situation changed dramatically amid the conflict in the Middle East: global oil prices rose sharply due to short supply, while discounts on Russian crude narrowed, bringing the damper back to positive territory.