Oil Surge Above $100 a Barrel Puts Russia in Prime Position to Profit, Analysts Say

MOSCOW, March 10 – As crude prices surge past $100 a barrel following military strikes between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, a group of energy analysts points to Russia as the likely top beneficiary. The conflict has rattled global oil markets, creating a financial windfall for Moscow at a critical moment.

Sol Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee, told CNBC that Russia is uniquely positioned to capitalize. 'Russia stands to gain revenue from high oil prices, especially given the recent softening of U.S. restrictions on the sale of Russian crude to India,' he said. This view is echoed by Henning Gloystein, a director for energy and resources at Eurasia Group.

Gloystein noted that shipments have been moving at around $90 per barrel, a significant jump from earlier prices near $50. 'That’s a major increase in both price and sales volume for Russia,' he said.

Data from Kpler appears to support the analysis of strong demand. Volumes of Russian crude on tankers fell this week to 118.3 million barrels from 132.9 million barrels in late February, suggesting cargoes are being delivered to buyers quickly.

The price spike follows the opening of a new front in regional tensions. On February 28, the United States and Israel began strikes on targets within Iran, including Tehran, with reports of civilian casualties. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against Israeli territory and U.S. military assets in the Middle East, sending shockwaves through energy markets.