Wracked by high commodity prices this year (MEES, 21 October), Tunisia has ramped up imports of discounted Russian oil products. With many of Russia’s traditional customers such as the US and Europe shunning Russian barrels (MEES, 14 October), Moscow has been sending more to countries such as China, India, Turkey and Saudi Arabia on the cheap (MEES, 14 October).

For Tunisia, the move makes sense. Already overburdened by skyrocketing food and fuel prices the country is happily snapping up cheaper oil. In the two years preceding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Tunisia had only taken a few sporadic cargoes from Russia. (CONTINUED - 170 WORDS)