Russia has announced a six month ban on exports of petrol as Vladimir Putin’s regime races to meet domestic demand for drivers and farmers.

The ban, which comes into force on March 1, was confirmed by a spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and will also allow for planned maintenance of refineries.

Russia previously imposed a similar ban between September and November last year in order to tackle high domestic prices and shortages. 

Only four ex-Soviet states - Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan - were exempt.

In a sign of the deepening fuel crisis in Russia, this time, the ban will not extend to member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and two Russian-backed breakaway regions of Georgia - South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

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