According to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine will initiate relevant sanctions against the countries that purchase the most Russian oil, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced.
Speaking at the Fair Play conference dedicated to the imposition of additional sanctions against the Russian Federation, Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is closely monitoring the increase in trade turnover between certain countries — particularly in Central Asia — and Russia. In some sectors, the growth is exponential.
“We are seeing that this includes goods with dual-use purposes, which Russia employs in the production of military equipment. We will also respond accordingly and call on our partners — and there aren’t many — that are among the top consumers of Russian oil. At the same time, a shadow fleet is being used to facilitate these deliveries. Therefore, in the near future, we will initiate appropriate sanctions against those countries that are buying the most Russian oil,” he said.
The minister also noted that Russian oil, gas, and related products — which account for up to 50% of revenues in Russia’s federal budget — continue to enter European markets. In April alone, Russia earned around $13 billion from energy exports. Meanwhile, one day of Kremlin aggression costs roughly $1 billion. According to Sybiha, this means Russia still earns significantly more than it spends on its genocidal war against Ukraine.
As Russia’s missile and drone attacks on Ukraine become increasingly massive, it is clear that the country continues to gain access to critical components, raw materials, equipment, and software.
“Based on analysis of the remnants of Russian missiles and drones, we consistently find foreign-made components produced in at least 19 countries around the world,” the minister stated.
He called for Russia to be cut off from critical components for its defense industry, emphasizing that this is one of the essential tools for forcing peace.
“That’s why it’s crucial for all our allies to employ their full sanctions capabilities and tools to stop the further militarization of Russia’s economy,” Sybiha said.
