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Russia Hit Hard by Coordinated Sanctions as 20% of Shadow Tankers Stop Sailing, Zelenskyy Says
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said coordinated international pressure on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of sanctioned oil tankers has already forced at least 20% of its vessels to halt operations, marking a significant blow to Moscow’s ability to export oil and finance the war, Zelenskyy wrote in a post on Telegram on January 13.
Zelenskyy said the assessment was presented during a briefing by Oleh Luhovskyi, first deputy head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
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According to Zelenskyy, Russia is now trying to compensate for these losses by bringing additional tankers into service, all of which should be added to international sanctions lists.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has instructed its intelligence services to share new information with partners about Russia’s efforts to expand its tanker fleet and about schemes involving Chinese companies that help Moscow bypass financial sanctions.
He stressed that pressure should extend not only to vessels, but also to tanker crews, captains, insurers, and the general infrastructure supporting the shadow fleet.
Current restrictions on Russian maritime oil exports are expected to cut Russia’s revenues by at least $30 billion annually, Zelenskyy said. Additional sanctions pressure would further reduce Moscow’s income and limit funding for its war effort.
“Effective pressure on the aggressor is the main fertilizer for diplomacy,” Zelenskyy said, adding that curbing Russia’s ability to adapt to sanctions is essential for any meaningful progress toward ending the war.
Previously, it was reported that the United Kingdom is preparing legal and operational frameworks to enable its armed forces to detain ships associated with Russia, Iran, and Venezuela that are believed to be circumventing oil sanctions.
According to BBC News, ministers believe the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act of 2018 provides a legal basis for UK military personnel to board and detain such vessels, often operating without valid national flags.
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