Ukraine Imposes Sanctions on 91 Russian Vessels in Shadow Fleet
Ukraine has taken decisive action against the Russian shadow fleet by imposing sanctions on 91 naval vessels involved in circumventing international sanctions against Russia. The move was announced by the press service of the President’s Office, stating that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree implementing the decision of the National Security and Defense Council.
The sanctioned vessels were used to transport oil and petroleum products from Russian ports to third countries, including those in the European Union, G7, and other states. This was done in violation of sanctions imposed by these entities. The monitoring results in the Black, Red, and Baltic Seas confirmed the involvement of these vessels in illegal activities.
Vessels Operate Under Flags of 20 Countries
The sanctioned vessels sailed under the flags of approximately 20 countries, with only one being Russian. The remaining flags belonged to Panama, Liberia, Cameroon, Barbados, Marshall Islands, Hong Kong, Sierra Leone, Tonga, Palau, Guinea, Comoros, Bahamas, Indonesia, Malawi, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Guyana, and Eswatini.
Ukraine will provide relevant information to these countries and work with partners to synchronize sanctions in their jurisdictions. Currently, 27 vessels from this list are already under sanctions by the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the European Union. Efforts to impose sanctions on the remaining 64 vessels will continue.
Pressure on Russian Oil Financing
Imposing sanctions on the shadow fleet is a priority for Ukraine as it allows the country to put pressure on everyone who transports Russian oil and thus helps Russia obtain funds to finance its war against Ukraine. Vladyslav Vlasyuk, Advisor to the President on Sanctions Policy, emphasized that “shadow fleet tankers are a key tool for circumventing oil sanctions, so their identification and the imposition of sanctions against them must be carried out quickly and without exceptions.”
Each sanctioned vessel is considered an element financing the Russian military machine. This move demonstrates Ukraine‘s commitment to countering Russia‘s efforts to evade international sanctions.
Context: European Union’s Proposal
In a related development, Greece and Malta became the main obstacle to the European Union’s proposal to replace price restrictions on Russian oil with a ban on services necessary for fuel transportation.
Original Article: Zelensky imposes sanctions against 91 Russian vessels — Prm