South Korea Ships More Than 176,000 Tons of Fuel to Russia Amid Ukraine War
More than 176,000 tons of fuel, mostly diesel, were shipped from South Korean ports to Russia in July and August, according to an analysis of port records and vessel-tracking data.
Seven tankers made 14 voyages from ports including Ulsan and Yeosu to Russian Far Eastern ports, with some of the vessels linked to sanctions imposed by the UK, EU or other countries.
The shipments come as Russia faces fuel shortages after Ukrainian strikes damaged oil-refining infrastructure, forcing Moscow to increase imports of refined petroleum products.
The shipments have raised concerns that fuel trade through South Korea could weaken Western pressure on Russia. However, the reported transactions do not appear to have violated South Korean law, and it remains unclear whether the fuel itself was produced in South Korea or re-exported through Korean ports.
The developments come as Seoul continues to support Ukraine while maintaining limited commercial trade with Russia.
