UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Russian oil cuts unavoidable as drone attacks shrink exports’
Q1. In the context of the 2026 disruption to Russian oil exports, Russia is most accurately described as which of the following in the global crude oil trade?
- A. The world's largest crude oil exporter
- B. The world's second-largest crude oil exporter
- C. The world's third-largest crude oil exporter
- D. The world's largest crude oil producer
Q2. Consider the following in relation to Russia's Baltic Sea crude oil export corridor:
1. Primorsk
2. Ust-Luga
3. Novorossiysk
4. Kozmino
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a Baltic Sea oil export port of Russia?
- Primorsk
- Ust-Luga
- Novorossiysk
- Kozmino
- A. 3 and 4
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 2 and 3
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q3. The Ust-Luga oil export terminal, a principal target of the 2026 Ukrainian drone strikes, is operated by which Russian entity?
- A. Gazprom
- B. Transneft
- C. Rosneft
- D. Lukoil
Q4. By April 2026, how much of Russia's oil export capacity had Ukrainian drone strikes on export infrastructure knocked out, according to industry estimates cited that month?
- A. About 0.5 million barrels per day
- B. About 1 million barrels per day
- C. About 2 million barrels per day
- D. About 3 million barrels per day
Q5. In March 2026, India was the second-largest destination for Russia's crude oil exports, purchasing approximately what share of those exports?
- A. About 20 per cent
- B. About 38 per cent
- C. About 51 per cent
- D. About 65 per cent
Q6. Consider the following statements about India's crude oil imports from Russia in the 2025-2026 period:
1. Russia has been India's single largest source of crude oil imports.
2. India is Russia's largest crude oil customer, buying more Russian crude than any other country.
3. Russian crude accounted for barely 0.2 per cent of India's imports in February 2022.
4. Russia's share has at times exceeded a third of India's total crude imports.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Russia has been India's single largest source of crude oil imports.
- India is Russia's largest crude oil customer, buying more Russian crude than any other country.
- Russian crude accounted for barely 0.2 per cent of India's imports in February 2022.
- Russia's share has at times exceeded a third of India's total crude imports.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 4 only
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q7. When the G7 first introduced its price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil in December 2022, at what level was the flagship cap set?
- A. USD 47.60 per barrel
- B. USD 60 per barrel
- C. USD 70 per barrel
- D. USD 100 per barrel
Q8. The ESPO blend of Russian crude, favoured by Asian refiners for its short sailing distance, is exported chiefly from which Russian port?
- A. Kozmino
- B. Primorsk
- C. Ust-Luga
- D. Novorossiysk
Q9. Russia's flagship Urals crude blend, shipped westward to European and Asian buyers, is loaded primarily at which Baltic Sea terminal?
- A. Kozmino
- B. Novorossiysk
- C. Primorsk
- D. Only through Ust-Luga, no other port
Q10. With regard to the global oil market backdrop against which Russia's 2026 export cuts occurred, consider the following statements:
1. OPEC+ moved to raise its oil output targets for a fourth consecutive month even amid the Iran crisis.
2. By late June 2026, ICE Brent crude was trading at around USD 77 per barrel.
3. Ukrainian strikes cut Russia's refinery processing to 4.69 million bpd, the lowest level since December 2019.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- OPEC+ moved to raise its oil output targets for a fourth consecutive month even amid the Iran crisis.
- By late June 2026, ICE Brent crude was trading at around USD 77 per barrel.
- Ukrainian strikes cut Russia's refinery processing to 4.69 million bpd, the lowest level since December 2019.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. The Russia-Ukraine war, whose later drone campaign shrank Russian oil exports, began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on which date?
- A. 24 February 2022
- B. 24 February 2014
- C. 24 March 2022
- D. 8 May 2022