UK Imposes Sanctions on 135 Vessels of Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’

The United Kingdom has introduced new sanctions against Russia to curb its oil revenue, which is being used to finance the war against Ukraine.

The announcement was made on July 21 through the UK government’s official website.

These sanctions specifically target 135 oil tankers from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which are being used to evade international restrictions on oil exports.

It is reported that the sanctioned vessels have transported oil worth $24 billion since the beginning of 2024.

In addition, the UK‘s sanctions now extend to the company INTERSHIPPING SERVICES LLC, which is responsible for registering shadow fleet vessels under the flag of Gabon. The sanctions also target LITASCO MIDDLE EAST DMCC, which is linked to the Russian oil company Lukoil, for its ongoing role in transporting large volumes of Russian oil aboard shadow fleet vessels, according to the UK government.

«“The new sanctions will deliver another blow to Putin’s ‘shadow fleet’ and deprive Russia of crucial oil revenues it uses to finance the war,” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy commented.

The UK government emphasized that Western sanctions have caused a one-third drop in Russia’s oil and gas revenues since 2022, when it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.