On the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, London announced the imposition of nearly 300 new sanctions, primarily targeting the pipeline operator Transneft and transport networks. Simultaneously, a new diplomatic conflict erupts: Russia accuses Ukraine of attempting to acquire nuclear weapons with Western support. Kyiv and London firmly reject these accusations, calling them absurd disinformation intended to divert attention from oil embargo evasion.

Sanctions on Transneft Giant

Britain imposed sanctions on the operator of Russian oil pipelines and nearly 300 other entities supporting the war.

Nuclear Weapons Dispute

Russia accuses Ukraine and the West of collaborating on building an atomic bomb, which Kyiv calls an absurd lie.

Oil Exports Above Pre-War Levels

Despite sanctions, Russia exports 6% more oil than before the war, although its financial revenues have actually fallen.

Analysis of trade data reveals that despite the fourth year of war, the Russian oil sector shows surprising resilience. The volume of Russian oil exports is 6% higher than in 2021, stemming from the construction of a powerful "shadow fleet" and the use of British dependent territories to transfer funds worth 8 billion dollars. Britain responded to these reports with a powerful strike against the logistical infrastructure. The new package of restrictions includes the state giant Transneft and the trade network "2Rivers", which was crucial for circumventing price caps. The Kremlin's financial situation remains ambiguous, however. Although Russia sells more raw material, its real revenues from the energy sector fell by 18% year-on-year. This is the effect of forced price discounts for buyers in Asia and rising costs of covert logistics. At the same time, Moscow attempted a narrative escalation on the international stage. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of pursuing nuclear weapons, allegedly with help from Paris and London. These accusations were immediately dismissed by the Ukrainian side as completely baseless and serving only to manipulate public opinion. The nuclear doctrine of the Russian Federation envisions the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction in the event of an existential threat to the state, which since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine has been regularly used by the Kremlin as an element of information warfare and pressure on NATO countries. British intelligence indicates that Putin's most dangerous economic weapon is hidden in the English Channel, where hundreds of tankers with unclear legal status daily transport raw materials fueling the Russian war machine. Sealing this system requires close cooperation with British overseas territories, such as the Caymans or Gibraltar, through which billions of dollars from energy trade flow. London now announces rigorous financial controls in these jurisdictions to prevent further masking of transactions under the guise of legitimate business activity.

Mentioned People

  • Władimir Putin — President of Russia controlling the country's energy sector.