Ukraine says S. Korea exports eased Russia fuel crisis caused by drone strikes

Ukraine's top sanctions official claimed on Tuesday that South Korea's exports of petroleum products to Russia helped mitigate the effects of a fuel crisis triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the tankers used for these shipments included those subject to Western sanctions.

Vlasiuk, who is the presidential commissioner for Ukrainian sanctions policy, wrote on Facebook that these shipments started when Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were causing processing volumes to drop and a fuel shortage to develop in Russia. The South Korean imports accounted for 31 percent of Russia's fuel imports in August, the official cited.

The diplomatic dispute between Seoul and Kyiv escalated last month after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea without informing Ukraine first. This move was allegedly meant to remain confidential, but it has strained relations between the two nations. Ukrainian forces have employed long-range drones to target Russian oil refineries and depots throughout the year.