The Verkhovna Rada supported a bill that would allow sanctions to be imposed on the Russian shadow fleet

On May 13, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 13020 on sanctions against Russiaʼs shadow fleet.

This is written by the MP from "Voice" Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

The decision was supported by 269 MPs.

As stated in the explanatory note, the current legislation of Ukraine allows for the imposition of sanctions on legal entities and individuals, but does not allow for the sanctioning of vessels and aircraft.

The proposed changes to the legislation would allow sanctions to be imposed on specific vessels and aircraft involved in Russiaʼs shadow transportation of oil and petroleum products, weapons, and military personnel.

What is known about the Russian shadow fleet?

In early December 2022, the G7 members, as well as Australia and the EU, imposed price caps on Russian oil, setting a maximum price of $60 per barrel. From February 5, 2023, these countries imposed price caps on Russian petroleum products: $100 for diesel fuel, $45 for various lubricants.

To circumvent oil sanctions, Russia has begun building a shadow fleet. This is a fleet of old tankers that turn off their beacons so they cannot be seen by surveillance systems. These tankers are mostly operated by the Russian state-owned company “Sovcomflot”.

According to The Guardian, Russia’s shadow fleet now numbers around 600 vessels, accounting for 70% of Russia’s oil exports and around 10% of the world’s “wet cargo” fleet. It transports almost 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, generating huge profits for the Kremlin. The UK has now imposed sanctions on the largest number of ships in the shadow fleet.

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