Oil from South Korea being shipped to Russia as Ukraine war grinds on
Exclusive: Guardian analysis finds more than 150,000 tonnes of fuel was shipped to Russian ports in July and August, some using sanctioned tankers
TL;DR
- Over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, were shipped from South Korea to Russia in July and August.
- Three of the seven tankers used were under sanctions by the UK and EU.
- One shipment involved a ship-to-ship transfer in South Korean waters, a method that can obscure cargo origin.
- This undermines sanctions regimes and South Korea's public support for Ukraine, according to an analyst.
- South Korea has provided humanitarian aid and non-lethal military supplies to Ukraine but has avoided sending weapons.
- Russia's oil refinery capacity has been severely impacted by Ukrainian drone strikes, leading to increased fuel imports.
- Buyers of the fuel included sanctioned Russian companies like Rosneft and NNK.
- South Korea's fuel exports to Russia accounted for 31% of Russia's total sea imports in August.
- South Korea's foreign ministry stated its commitment to international efforts to end the war and enforce export controls.