South Korea Ships Fuel to Russia Amid Ukraine War, Raising Concerns Over Sanctions Efficacy
South Korea has been shipping significant quantities of fuel, primarily diesel, to Russian ports, with over 176,000 tonnes loaded onto tankers in July and August. This trade includes vessels sanctioned by the UK and EU, and some shipments involved ship-to-ship transfers in South Korean waters, a method that can obscure the origin of cargo. While South Korea has publicly supported Ukraine with humanitarian aid and non-lethal military supplies, and pledged $2.3 billion in support, these fuel shipments do not appear to violate South Korean law, which focuses on export controls for industrial machinery, electronics, and vehicles. The largest carrier, the sanctioned Layla, made two voyages from Ulsan to Vladivostok, carrying 57,000 tonnes of diesel. Another sanctioned tanker, the Russian-flagged Astoria, loaded nearly 11,000 tonnes of fuel at Ulsan before sailing to Vladivostok. A third sanctioned tanker, the Chongchon, took on approximately 26,000 tonnes of fuel via ship-to-ship transfer off Yeosu and then hea...