Ukraine’s top sanctions official says Russia benefits from fuel shipments originating from South Korean ports, which he says help ease a fuel shortage created by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. He links the timing of the deliveries to when Ukrainian attacks reduce Russia’s processing volumes, worsening shortages.
The Korea Times reports that Russia imports more than 176,000 tons of petroleum products from South Korean ports in July and August, with the shipments accounting for 31 percent of Russian fuel imports in August, based on the official’s figures. The official, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, says the deliveries began when strikes were disrupting refinery output and cites reports that tankers used for the supply include vessels under Western sanctions.
ABC Australia and Channel NewsAsia also describe Ukraine’s claim that South Korea-linked exports mitigate the impact of the drone-related fuel problem. The outlets differ mainly in the level of detail provided, while all present Ukraine’s assertion as unverified and tied to broader tensions between Seoul and Kyiv, including a recent diplomatic dispute involving the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
