On Monday, the UK imposed sanctions on 30 tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, marking its largest sanctions package yet aimed at disrupting the fleet’s operations and reducing Vladimir Putin’s oil revenues. These tankers have been responsible for transporting billions of pounds worth of oil and oil products over the past year, helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions.
Half of the sanctioned ships have transported more than $4.3 billion in oil and related products like gasoline over the last 12 months. This new sanctions package, the largest of its kind, brings the total number of sanctioned tankers to 73—more than any other nation, underscoring the UK’s leadership in targeting the shadow fleet.
The UK government stated that these sanctions are intended to further weaken the Kremlin’s ability to fund its illegal war in Ukraine and to disrupt its broader malign activities. The latest move also targets two Russian insurance companies, AlfaStrakhovanie and VSK, which have been facilitating the operations of the shadow fleet.
With these actions, the UK has sanctioned more oil tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet than any other country. By comparison, the United States has sanctioned 39, and the European Union has imposed sanctions on 19.
The announcement coincided with Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s attendance at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Italy, where he is urging other nations to increase pressure on Russia and step up support for Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Despite these measures, Russia continues to find ways to bypass sanctions, with recent reports indicating that about one-third of blacklisted tankers have resumed transporting oil.
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