EU's new sanctions against Russia targets shadow tanker fleet

The 14th package of EU sanctions against Russia will affect Russia's shadow tanker fleet, Swedish representative Tobias Billström said before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Reuters reports.

Photo: navy.mil by Оператор ВМС США Уильям С. Стивенс is licensed under public domain

The official did not specify how exactly the association was going to combat such supplies of Russian oil. The head of the Swedish Foreign Ministry announced a ban on the import of liquefied natural gas. The supplies of Russian liquified natural gas to the EU are not prohibited.

The shadow fleet refers to tankers that are not officially associated with Russia, but operate under its control. They make it possible to supply oil and petroleum products at prices higher than the cap that was set by Western countries.

G7 representatives said in February that they were looking for ways to put pressure on the Russian shadow fleet so that its ships would either comply with price cap requirements or fall under sanctions. The latest report from the International Monetary Fund said that such efforts were fruitless as Russian oil could still be exported at prices higher than $60 per barrel.