In Russia, gasoline is not getting cheaper against the background of falling oil prices due to three factors: fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate, the market factor and the operation of the damping mechanism.

It usually happened that a rise in oil prices led to a strengthening of the ruble, and vice versa. Therefore, when the price of oil on world markets changes, its price in rubles usually does not change too much, it ranges from 3000 to 3500 rubles per barrel. But in mid-March, when oil prices rose, the ruble did not strengthen. Therefore, oil cost more than 5000 rubles per barrel.

Additionally, the rate of growth in gasoline prices is not sharp and does not duplicate the trajectory of changes in oil prices, which can change by 10 percent in one direction or another. The state, through a damping mechanism, compensates oil companies for part of the lost profit from exports, allowing them to keep fuel prices at filling stations within relatively stable values.

The third factor is that businesses are reluctant to lower retail prices. That is why, even before the use of the damping mechanism, gasoline in Russia did not become much cheaper.