MOSCOW, Jan 4 - RIA Novosti. The beginning of the year traditionally presents a calm period for the Russian fuel market; thus, in January 2026, gasoline prices are expected to remain stable, particularly against the backdrop of increased production, as shared by Sergey Tereshkin, CEO of the fuel marketplace "Open Oil Market" (a resident of Skolkovo), in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"The start of the year is generally tranquil for the fuel market: for example, in January 2025, Rosstat recorded a zero weekly growth in retail gasoline prices twice, while in the other weeks of the month, the increase did not exceed 0.1%. Therefore, in January 2026, prices will remain stable. Moreover, at the end of last year, oil companies managed to stabilize fuel output: in October 2025, the production of petroleum products in Russia rose by 6.6% compared to the previous month," he responded to a question about whether a price rise is expected during the New Year holidays.
Tereshkin explained that prices are also influenced by a drop in demand during the winter months. This situation is characteristic not only for Russia but also for other countries with similar climates. For instance, in the United States, gasoline consumption during the cold months is noticeably lower than in the summer months.
In January 2024, gasoline shipments to the US domestic market reached 8.3 million barrels per day - this is 11% lower than in July and 8% lower than the annual average, the expert notes. A similar trend was observed in 2025: in January, gasoline demand in the US totaled 8.5 million barrels per day, while in July it reached 9.2 million barrels per day, and for the first nine months, it averaged 8.9 million barrels per day.
"In Russia, this difference may be even more pronounced due to the 'cottage' factor, which is absent in the US. Additionally, there is the holiday factor: while Christmas and New Year holidays in the US fall at the end of December, in Russia they occur in the first decade of January," he added.

Source: RIA Novosti