MOSCOW/ISTANBUL 

Russia announced on Monday that the gasoline export ban will be extended due to the continued rise in prices.

A written statement from the Russian Ministry of Energy stated that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and several officials met in Moscow to discuss gasoline prices in the country.

The statement noted increased summer demand for gasoline and increased use in the agricultural sector, and that the ban on gasoline exports will be extended.

The statement also noted that investigations into "price inflating" in some regions of Russia have been launched.

The Russian government, following record-breaking prices, temporarily banned gasoline exports on July 28 until Aug. 31. Despite this, prices continued to rise.

The country experiences periodic increases in gasoline prices due to oil refineries being targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and increased demand, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Russia, one of the world's largest energy exporters, produces more than 40 million tons of gasoline annually.