Russia said on Saturday it would not seek permission from other countries to supply its oil, stressing that such decisions are a matter of national sovereignty. The comments were published via the official X account of the Russian Embassy in South Africa, which quoted Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Birichevsky said that “Russia has NO intention of asking permission from other countries to SUPPLY its oil.
“Oil supply issues are a matter of national sovereignty, such statements by other states are met with confusion,” read a post on X (formerly Twitter).
30-day US exemption for India
The Russian comments come just days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would allow a 30-day exemption for Indian refiners to buy Russian oil stranded at sea, offering temporary relief to global supply concerns.
The US exemption for India came amid volatile energy markets triggered by supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
A notice from the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the release was authorized for crude oil of Russian origin loaded onto vessels on or before 12:01 a.m. EST (10:31 a.m. IST), March 5, 2026.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump – while lifting a 25% additional tariff on India – said a US government panel would monitor whether India resumes imports of Russian oil, with the tariff likely to be reimposed if such purchases resume.
Oil rose on Thursday after Trump vowed to escalate the conflict against Iran in the coming weeks – which could disrupt energy flows through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli-American-Iranian War
Iran launched a wave of retaliatory strikes after the US and Israel jointly attacked the Islamic Republic on Saturday, February 28. Explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi, Dubai – among other key Gulf hubs – which are also home to US military bases.
Iran has reportedly attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz – a key sea route through which India receives 85-90% of its LPG imports from West Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Described by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) as one of the world’s most important oil hubs, the strait handles about 20 million barrels of oil a day – roughly a fifth of global consumption – and about one fifth of global LNG trade, mainly from Qatar.
Buyers have been quick to pick up Russian crude supplies after the US waiver, but remain much more cautious about Iranian crude, Bloomberg reported earlier.
