US could hit Putin's Arctic gas empire by sanctioning 14 LNG tankers
"Sanctions offer Washington a way to support Western security in the High North without putting American troops in harm's way," Alexander Kirk, a sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, said.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives may vote on a bill to sanction vessels carrying Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), including 14 specialized tankers delivering LNG from Russia's Yamal Peninsula, according to the NGO Urgewald. The measure targets Russian energy and could put the 14 Arc7 tankers under U.S. sanctions review.
The Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which passed the Senate in August, is now being considered by the House. If enacted, President Donald Trump would have 30 days to review the vessels and designate those that meet the criteria for sanctioning. The legislation would also permit sanctions against foreign port owners or operators providing services to Russia's sanctioned vessels.
The 14 Arc7 tankers are specially designed to withstand harsh winter conditions around Russia's Yamal Peninsula. Disrupting their operations could significantly impact Russia's ability to export LNG and generate revenue from the industry. Europe, which has received 136 of the 140 Yamal LNG cargoes shipped in the first half of 2026, is set to fully ban Russian LNG imports in January 2027.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
