The British government on Monday announced sanctions on 30 ships it claims are part of Russia's "shadow fleet," bringing the total number of vessels under U.K. restrictions to 73.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the move the U.K.’s "largest sanctions package" yet against tankers and cargo ships used by Moscow to circumvent export and oil embargoes to fund its war against Ukraine.
The U.K. also imposed sanctions on two Russian insurers accused of enabling the "shadow fleet," which operates under dubious ownership or without proper insurance.
These vessels, often carrying Russian oil and gasoline while flying the flag of another country, allow the Kremlin to continue exporting despite sanctions and the global oil price cap.
According to a Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) statement, half of the ships hit by the latest sanctions transported more than $4.3 billion worth of oil and oil products over the last year.
Lammy announced the sanctions during a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Italy, noting that the new restrictions surpass the number of ships currently targeted by the United States and the European Union.
The FCDO emphasized that the sanctions "are working," with Russia increasingly reliant on states like North Korea and Iran for military hardware.
It also pointed out that two oil tankers, Artemis (flagged to Gabon) and Sea Fidelity (flagged to Honduras), had been "idling uselessly in the Baltic Sea" since being sanctioned last month.
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