Boris Kamchev

BORIS@LUBESNGREASES.COM

Staff Writer - Boris is a staff writer focused on Eastern Europe, Russia and the ex-Soviet lubricant industry. Prior to joining Lubes’n’Greases in 2010, Boris was a Russia-based reporter for several Macedonian news outlets. He had a 16-month stint as a business reporter for The St. Petersburg Times and contributed analyses to an English-language outlet of RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency. Boris often travels to St. Petersburg, Washington, D.C. and Skopje. Recently, he has also begun a part-time engagement as a foreign correspondent for North Macedonia’s state news agency, MIA.

Recent Articles

Latvia Tightens Waste Oil Collection Regs

Latvia Tightens Waste Oil Collection Regs

Latvia’s national agency for waste management recently unveiled a campaign to improve handling of waste oil and to str …

Azmol-BP Shifts to Georgia, Uzbekistan

Azmol-BP Shifts to Georgia, Uzbekistan

Lubricant maker Azmol-British Petrochemicals has transferred its production activities to Georgia and Uzbekistan after l …

Lighter Engine Oils Lose Ground in Russia

Lighter Engine Oils Lose Ground in Russia

Low-viscosity motor oils are losing ground in Russia at a time when many Western motor oil and car brands have exited th …

Russian EV Sales Grew 244% in H1 2023

Russian EV Sales Grew 244% in H1 2023

Russia’s auto fleet is electrifying at high rates, but in absolute numbers is lagging far behind the world’s largest …

Lukoil Plans Additives, Lubricants Plants

Lukoil Plans Additives, Lubricants Plants

Lukoil’s lubricant arm intends to build two production facilities at its refining complex in Volgograd, Russia – one …

Russia Leans on Asian Additives

Russia Leans on Asian Additives

The major additive companies pulled out of Russia last year. Which countries are now helping Russia to meet demand for a …

Suprotec Plans Grease, Metalworking Fluid Plant

Suprotec Plans Grease, Metalworking Fluid Plant

Russian automotive chemicals producer Suprotec announced plans for a grease and metalworking fluids manufacturing ventur …

Modrica Refinery Posts Further Losses

Modrica Refinery Posts Further Losses

Bosnian base oil and lubricant producer Rafinarija Ulja Modrica ended the first half of this year with a net loss of 1.1 …

BMW Invests More in UK EV Mini Production

BMW Invests More in UK EV Mini Production

BMW said earlier this week that it would invest £600 million (U.S. $750 million) in production of new-generation Mini …

Russian, Korean Brands Gain Ground in Moscow

Russian, Korean Brands Gain Ground in Moscow

Western motor oil brands continue to lose shares of sales in and around Moscow, while domestic and Korean brands have ta …

Omsk to Stream Group II, III in September

Omsk to Stream Group II, III in September

Gazprom Neft’s new 220,000 metric tons per year Group II and III base oil production in Omsk is scheduled to start str …

Duties Blamed for Slide in Kazakh Exports

Duties Blamed for Slide in Kazakh Exports

The competitiveness of Kazakhstan lubricant makers against Russian counterparts suffered because of the high duties paid …

Rerefinery and Lube Factory Planned in Turkey

Rerefinery and Lube Factory Planned in Turkey

A waste oil rerefinery and lubricant manufacturing complex will be constructed in Mersin province in southeastern Turkey …

Calls in Russia for More Waste Oil Recycling

Calls in Russia for More Waste Oil Recycling

Approximately 500,000 metric tons of waste lubricants are collected in Russia each year, but the vast majority is reused …

Asian Imports Ascend in Russia

Asian Imports Ascend in Russia

Russia imported 282,000 tons of motor oils in 2022, and more than half of that was shipped from Asia, according to a new …

Costs Push Russians to Less Expensive Car Care

Costs Push Russians to Less Expensive Car Care

Exorbitant prices for car parts and accessories are discouraging Russian motorists from visiting large stations for serv …

Shell Ready to Make Sustainable Aviation Lubricants

Shell Ready to Make Sustainable Aviation Lubricants

Shell will start to offering sustainable aviation lubricants.

Eurasian Union Updates Technical Regulation

Eurasian Union Updates Technical Regulation

The Eurasian Economic Union of former Soviet republics updated its technical regulation for lubricants, oils and special …