Guardian: South Korean fuel shipped to Russia, some on sanctioned tankers

Left · 2A Guardian analysis of port records and ship-tracking data found that in July and August more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, was loaded at several South Korean ports onto seven tankers that made 14 voyages to Russia's far east. 1 2 Left · 2Three of the vessels were under UK and EU sanctions, and one of them, the Chongchon, never berthed: it took about 26,000 tonnes from an unsanctioned tanker, the Celeste I, at an anchorage off Yeosu, a ship-to-ship method that can obscure a cargo's origin. 1 2 Left · 2The Guardian said the largest carrier, the sanctioned Layla, made two voyages from Ulsan to Vladivostok carrying 57,000 tonnes of diesel in total, declaring Vladivostok as its destination the first time and Niigata, Japan, the second. The Russian-flagged Astoria, also under Australian sanctions, loaded nearly 11,000 tonnes at Ulsan on 1 August, declaring Japan before sailing to Vladivostok. 1 2

Left · 1It is unclear who owned or sold the fuel, which South Korean port records do not show; the owners and managers of four tankers did not respond to requests for comment. Citing Kpler data, the Guardian said buyers included Rosneft and NNK, both under UK sanctions. 1 Left · 2In August Russia imported 368,000 tonnes of oil products by sea, the highest monthly total since the full-scale invasion, according to Kpler data analysed by CREA. South Korea supplied 112,000 tonnes, or 31%, second only to India. 1 2 Left · 1The shipments come as Ukrainian drone strikes have disrupted Russian refining: throughput fell in June to its lowest in over 20 years and diesel output is down nearly 30% on last year, according to the International Energy Agency. Ukraine's military intelligence agency HUR says Moscow has been forced to import fuel. 1

Left · 2Isaac Levi, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), called it "shocking" and said it "undermines the sanctions regime and South Korea's support for Ukraine". The Guardian added that the trade does not appear to breach South Korean law, since Seoul's measures rely mainly on export controls, but risks making Seoul look like a "weak link" in western pressure on Russia. 1 2 Left · 1South Korea's foreign ministry did not address the shipments or the sanctioned tankers. It said Seoul supports and is actively taking part in international efforts to end the war, and that it has expanded export controls on Russia to 1,402 non-strategic items that it is "strictly enforcing". The UK Foreign Office did not answer questions on the UK-sanctioned tankers. 1 Left · 1Context in the Guardian's report: Seoul has given Ukraine humanitarian aid and non-lethal military supplies but rules out sending weapons, while seeking better ties with Moscow. Loadings surged in July as President Lee Jae Myung pledged $100m for Ukraine's reconstruction at a Nato summit. In March, during the Iran war and Hormuz closure, South Korea imported Russian naphtha under a US sanctions waiver. 1

Left · 1The report coincides with a Seoul–Kyiv row over two North Korean prisoners of war transferred to South Korea. Meduza reported that Seoul accused Zelensky of breaching an agreement to keep the transfer secret, and that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Ukraine's apology fell short of what Seoul expected and that Seoul intends to "take firm measures". 2