Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: Council sanctions 41 vessels of the Russian shadow fleet
The Council today imposed restrictive measures on an additional 41 vessels, that are part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers and contribute to Russia’s energy revenues.
These 41 vessels are therefore added to the list of those subject to a port access ban and ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport. This measure is intended to target non-EU tankers that are part of Putin’s shadow fleet circumventing the oil price cap mechanism or support the energy sector of Russia, or vessels that are responsible for transporting military equipment for Russia or involved in the transport of stolen Ukrainian grain and cultural goods from Ukraine.
Today’s decision -which brings the total of designated vessels to almost 600- is closely linked to recent Council decisions to list nine shadow fleet enablers and adopt a declaration by the EU and its member states on making full use of the international law of the sea framework relating to threats from the ‘shadow fleet’ and to the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.
The EU remains ready to step up pressure on Russia and its shadow fleet value chain, including by adopting further sanctions.
Background
In response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has massively expanded sanctions against Russia with the aim of significantly weakening Russia’s economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.
In its conclusions of 19 December 2024, the European Council reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirmed the Union’s unwavering commitment to providing continued political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.
As long as the illegal actions by the Russian Federation continue to violate fundamental rules of international law, including, in particular, the prohibition on the use of force enshrined in Article 2(4) of the Charter of the United Nations, and of international humanitarian law, it is appropriate to maintain in force all the measures imposed by the EU and to take additional measures, if necessary.