New sanctions towards Russia hit the shadow fleet


The list includes 75 people and entities recognized as co -responsible for actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine – results from the EU Official Journal published on May 20.
New restrictions included, among others bosses of military-industrial companies, drone producers such as “Airburg”, “Stratim” or “Aerofregat”, as well as representatives of the world of science and culture-rector of the Russian University or director of the Museum in Cherson.
The Union also hits Surgutnieftiegaz – a mysterious, one of the largest Russian fuel concerns, whose owner remains officially unknown. The sanctions were also covered by the largest Russian group extracting gold “Piestropawłowsk”, belonging to Paweł Masłowski's oligarch, as well as the WSK insurance company, associated with the Shadow Fleet Fleet tankers.
The Union also frozen the assets of 189 tankers belonging to the so -called shadow fleets used to avoid oil sanctions and exports from Russia without western regulations. The package also includes sanctions against Chinese, Emiraci, Belarusian and Turkish companies supporting the Russian war industry.
A mysterious group without debts and with billions of deposits
Surgutnieftiegaz is a company with a unique structure. He does not take debts, does not invest aggressively, but he accumulates huge cash reserves – according to estimates in 2012, she had over $ 30 billion deposited in Russian banks. It is not known who controls her. The general director is Vladimir Bogdanow, who officially has 5 percent. shares, but according to the media, it manages the company through a network of related companies.
In 2018, the American Treasury Department covered both surgutnieftiegaz and its numerous subsidiaries – from the refinery, through the media, to furniture plants and fuel trade at the Polish border.




