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UK sanctions Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers

October 18, 2024

By Ukraine

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The UK government has launched its largest sanctions package to date against Moscow’s shadow fleet of oil tankers, targeting 18 Russian oil tankers and 4 liquified natural gas (LNG) vessels. The move, announced on 17 October, aims to disrupt Russian energy revenues and combat environmental risks posed by these ships.

Russia’s shadow fleet evades EU, US, and UK sanctions by covertly transporting oil and goods, sustaining revenue for funding its war in Ukraine. The UK’s new sanctions package comes as the United States and Canada have joined the shadow fleet ‘Call to Action’ launched by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July. This brings the total number of signatories to 47, including 44 European countries and the EU.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated,

“We must combat malign Russian activity at every turn, whether illicit tactics to bolster Putin’s war chest, their use of cyber-attacks or barbarism on the front line in Ukraine.” He added, “The UK is leading the charge against Putin’s desperate and dangerous attempts to cling on to his energy revenues, with his shadow fleet placing coastlines across Europe and the world in jeopardy.”

The sanctioned vessels will be barred from UK ports and unable to access British maritime services. According to the UK Foreign Office, the targeted oil tankers have transported an estimated $4.9 billion in the last year alone. The action brings the total number of sanctioned oil tankers to 43.

In addition to the vessel sanctions, the UK has targeted Russian gas company Rusgazdobycha JSC. This move is part of a broader effort to pressure the Russian gas industry, with Gazprom reportedly posting a significant net loss of $6.9 billion in 2023 – its first annual loss in more than 20 years.

The UK government is also taking steps to combat Russian-backed maritime activity near its shores. The Department for Transport is working alongside the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to challenge shadow fleet vessels with suspected dubious insurance as they pass through the English Channel.

This latest sanctions package follows recent UK actions targeting Russian cyber-crime gang Evil Corp and Russian troops found to be using chemical weapons in Ukraine.

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