Press releases

SMOLENSK OBLAST, 11 March (BelTA) – A Belarusian multifunctional service center will be built along the M1 motorway in Russia, BelTA learned from Nikolai Kutsko, head of the Smolensk office of the Embassy of Belarus in Russia, after an automobile refueling station that uses the Belarusian brand BelOil was opened on the A141 motorway in Smolensk Oblast on 11 March.

The diplomat said that ZAO Belarusian Oil Company and the Belarusian petrochemical concern Belneftekhim had chosen the right development strategy by switching from wholesale trade to retail in Russia. “We will get extra 10%, 15% or 20% of the product value by doing so. We are at the beginning of the road but we are already implementing the next project. We are building a multifunctional motorway service center on the M1 motorway to offer automobile maintenance and cutting-edge refueling stations in addition to parking lots,” said Nikolai Kutsko. He stressed that the effort will be stepped up after the first few refueling stations are opened.

BelTA reported earlier that OOO European Trading Company uses the Belarusian brand BelOil to create a network of automobile refueling stations in Russia. So far two refueling stations have been built 100km away from each other on the A141 motorway. They are owned by a major Russian oil trading company while the Belarusian company provides its trademark and the merchandise.

Smolensk-based OOO European Trading Company was created in 2012 by ZAO Belarusian Oil Company. The priorities include the fulfillment of Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental agreements that require Belarusian oil refineries to supply their products to Russia. OOO European Trading Company sells Euro 5 compliant oil products to Russia, primarily the central federal district and the northwestern federal district, via commodity exchanges, via direct contracts, and in small bulk. The company is one of the largest tax payers in Smolensk Oblast. Since its establishment it has supplied over 1 million tonnes of oil products to Russia.