Britain imposes sanctions on 22 Russian tankers carrying oil and gas

Britain has added another 18 Russian oil tankers and four more vessels carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to its sanctions list. The British government announced this in a statement today. London says this is the largest package of sanctions to date against the so-called shadow fleet of foreign vessels transporting Russian energy products. The United Kingdom has also sanctioned Russian gas company RusGazDobycha.

„We must combat Russia’s malign activities at every turn, whether it is the use of illicit tactics to bolster Putin’s war chest, cyberattacks or barbarity on the battlefields in Ukraine,“ said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

London has now sanctioned a total of 43 Russian vessels. Last year, the tankers targeted by the latest measures transported an estimated £4.9 billion (148 billion Kč) worth of raw materials and products. Some of them sail under the flags of countries such as Barbados and Gabon.

The government added that its Department for Transport is working with maritime authorities to check the insurance status of Russian vessels and wants details to be provided when they pass through the English Channel. „Any entity that facilitates and supports Russia’s malign activities could be exposed to sanctions,“ the statement said.

Russia launched its military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, prompting Western countries to impose economic and political sanctions. These also affect Russian oil and gas products. As dependence on Russian gas has yet to be fully resolved, European countries continue to import some of it.