UK Sanctions 30 Ships in Russia’s “Shadow Fleet” to Enforce Oil Price Restrictions

On November 25, 2024, the United Kingdom (UK) imposed sanctions on 30 vessels within Russia’s “shadow fleet” a network of ships transporting billions of pounds of oil & petroleum products annually.

This is the largest UK sanctions package, targeting ships that have facilitated approximately $4.3 billion in gasoline & oil trade in the past year, as stated in a UK press release.

This move will cripple the Kremlin’s ability to finance its ongoing invasion of Ukraine & its global malign activities because oil revenues are an essential funding source for Kremlin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary “David Lammy” attended the G7 Foreign Minister’s meeting in Italy, urging other nations to keep pressure on Russia’s war machine, and intensify financial & military support for Ukraine.

“Russia’s oil revenues are fuelling the fires of war and destruction in Ukraine.”

David Lammy,  UK Foreign Secretary

He reaffirms the UK’s commitment to the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) during his visit. This joint initiative, involving the UK and 2 key partners, aims to reinforce defense mechanisms against threats.

In July, Prime Minister “Keir Starmer”, at the European Political Community Summit, announced the partnership of 46 countries & EU for a call to action led by the UK against the shadow fleet.

This will significantly put global trade at stake because many ships are engaged in deceptive shipping practices, disregard basic security standards & dangerous to the environment, increasing the likelihood of oil spills.

Lammy will hold bilateral meetings with senior officials from Japan and India to strengthen the UK’s strategic partnerships with these nations, says a press release.

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Experts are analyzing the crucial role of oil and gas revenues in sustaining Russia’s economy and military operations.

In response, the EU is determined to strengthen enforcement of the G7 price cap on Russian oil; a measure designed to limit Moscow’s income from energy exports.

While the specific details of the sanctions are still being finalized, the package is anticipated to include additional measures targeting individuals and entities involved in the oil and gas trade.

UK-imposed sanctions on Russia are working, forcing the Kremlin to return to states, such as Iran & North Korea, for military hardware. Russia has even resorted to deploying North Korea to strengthen its forces in Ukraine.

The UK has taken significant steps to cripple Russia’s military-industrial complex through targeted sanctions.

The government has also imposed sanctions on entities solely responsible for the deception of Ukrainian children, marking the 1000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Furthermore, the UK has sanctioned private Russian mercenary companies implicated in destabilizing activities across Africa.

According to a UK press release, it has sanctioned 30 tankers, including:

• IMO 9412359 (“BELGOROD”)
• IMO 9331153 (“DELVINA”)
• IMO 9411020 (“BRATSK”)
• IMO 9410894 (“VALOUR”)
• IMO 9410870 (“HS EVERETT”)
• IMO 9312896 (“KRASNOYARSK”)
• IMO 9402471 (“FENG SHOU”)
• IMO 9331141 (“KELLY GRACE”)
• IMO 9259185 (“DAKSHA”)
• IMO 9312884 (“KEMEROVO”)
• IMO 9610808 (“ANATOLY KOLODKIN”)
• IMO 9341093 (“KOLOMNA”)
• IMO 9610793 (“GEORGY MASLOV”)
• IMO 9610810 (“VIKTOR BAKAEV”)
• IMO 9413559 (“ANTARKTIKA”)
• IMO 9314167 (“AGNES”)
• IMO 9436941 (“ATTICA”)
• IMO 9299721 (“CEPHEUS”)
• IMO 9290309 (“THEA”)
• IMO 9321847 (“EMILY S”)
• IMO 9274434 (“NANDA DEVI”)
• IMO 9297371 (“SULEYMAN I”)
• IMO 9319882 (“ATALANTA”)
• IMO 9289752 (“ARIADNE”)
• IMO 9353096 (“GURU”)
• IMO 9232888 (“KSENA”)
• IMO 9249130 (“CHILLI”)
• IMO 9250531, (“PYTHON”)
• IMO 9250543 (“NEOMI”)
• IMO 9250892 (“MIKATI”)

Entities

• ALFASTRAKHOVANIE PLC
• VSK

This step will contribute to securing the country from environmental disasters caused by the shadow fleet.