Serbia’s Russian-owned oil company NIS has halted operations at its main refinery due to a lack of crude oil. The disruption comes after U.S. sanctions on Russia’s oil sector — including NIS — fully took effect in October, ending previously granted waivers.
The sanctions have cut off NIS from international banking services and halted crude deliveries via Croatia’s JANAF pipeline, leaving the refinery unable to process new oil. Although the Serbian government says it has sufficient reserves for the domestic market, the shutdown raises concerns about fuel supplies during winter, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
A refinery source confirmed the halt, noting that NIS still has gasoline and diesel in storage. According to Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, NIS currently holds around 89,825 tons of diesel and 53,648 tons of gasoline, and the government recently approved additional imports to boost reserves.
The United States is pressuring Serbia to ensure full Russian divestment from NIS, whose biggest stakeholders — Gazprom Neft and Gazprom — together hold more than 56% of the company. Washington has given them three months to sell their stake.