US launches heaviest blow yet against Russian oil and gas

The US Treasury Department on January 10 imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, two Russian oil exploration, production and sales companies, and 183 vessels that transported Russian oil, according to Reuters. The new sanctions also target oil trading networks.

These are the largest sanctions ever imposed on Russia’s energy sector, the largest source of revenue for its military campaign in Ukraine, according to Daleep Singh, the US deputy national security adviser for international economics. Another US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the new sanctions would cost Russia billions of dollars a month if fully implemented.

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US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration chose this time because "the oil market is fundamentally in a better place" and the US economy is better positioned to respond to any market disruptions, according to The Guardian.

A Russian cargo ship carrying crude oil at Karachi port in Pakistan on June 28, 2023.

Also on January 10, the British government announced sanctions against Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, saying the profits of the two companies were facilitating Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, according to AFP. Meanwhile, Russian media reported that Gazprom Neft criticized the sanctions as "unfounded" and "illegal". Shortly before the sanctions were officially announced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Biden administration was trying to leave President-elect Donald Trump "the heaviest possible legacy".

The US and UK have taken new steps amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Ukrainian Air Force announced yesterday that it had shot down 47 of the 74 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by Russia into Ukraine on the night of January 10 and early morning of January 11, according to Reuters. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that debris from the downed UAVs damaged several buildings and vehicles in seven different areas, but there were no casualties.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced yesterday that it had intercepted and destroyed 85 Ukrainian drones during the night of January 10 and the early morning of January 11 in several regions of Russia, including the Voronezh and Krasnodar provinces. In addition, Governor Evgeny Pervyshov of Russia's Tambov region wrote on the Telegram messaging app yesterday that at least three people were injured by broken windows when the drones hit two houses in the province.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-tung-don-nang-ne-nhat-nham-vao-dau-khi-nga-185250111213751132.htm