New Zealand – The New Zealand government announced on Thursday that it is expanding its sanctions against the Russian oil sector to include the so-called “shadow fleet” used to transport Russian crude outside the scope of international oversight, in a move aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow over its ongoing war in Ukraine.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement carried by Reuters that his country had decided to impose sanctions on an additional 65 ships and individuals from Russia, as well as a number of entities from Belarus, Iran and North Korea, accusing them of participating in the refining and transport of Russian oil, as well as facilitating payments related to smuggling operations.
Peters explained that this step “underscores New Zealand’s commitment to working with its partners to counter Russian circumvention of international sanctions and to prevent Moscow from funding its war through illegal networks of maritime intermediaries and transport companies.”
The minister added that the new sanctions came in conjunction with a meeting of the foreign ministers of the five Scandinavian countries in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, where the delegations discussed ways to enhance political and economic coordination to support Ukraine and deter Moscow from continuing military escalation.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the “shadow fleet” includes hundreds of ships using the flags of other countries to evade Russian export controls, noting that countries such as Belarus, Iran and North Korea are playing an increasing role in supporting these activities.
These sanctions are the latest in a series of measures imposed by New Zealand since 2022, targeting hundreds of Russian individuals and companies, as part of its ongoing efforts to restrict funding sources for the Russian war in Ukraine.
