The State Statistics Service said earlier this month gasoline prices had grown by an average of 8.3% since the beginning of the year.
The upward trend has provoked government concerns because the fast growth complicates the government's efforts to keep annual inflation within the target figure of 9% in 2006, down on last year's figure of 10.9%.
The service said the average price of gasoline stood at 18.01 rubles (about $0.68) per liter on September 18, with the price of the low-octane A-76 and Ai-80 brands at 15.99 rubles ($0.6), the regular Ai-92 and Ai-93 brands at 18.91 rubles ($0.71) and Ai-95 premium brand at 20.26 rubles ($0.76).
The price of diesel went up 0.3% in the period to an average of 17.25 rubles ($0.65) per liter.
Growth in average motor gasoline prices was registered in 43 centers of Russia's 88 regions, the service said.
