Ukraine criticises South Korea for oil supplies to Russia

Ukraine has criticized South Korea for supplying oil to Russia, which has helped Moscow compensate for reduced refining capacity following strikes on its fuel facilities. According to Britain’s The Guardian, South Korea shipped 176,000 tonnes of oil products to Russia in July and August, according to port records and ship-tracking data.

However, the records did not specify who owned or sold the fuel. Ukraine’s sanctions adviser, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, called the shipments "in sharp contrast" to South Korea’s sanctions policy. This criticism comes amid tensions between Ukraine and South Korea after Ukraine revealed in a UN speech that North Korean soldiers captured fighting with Russian forces had been sent to the South.

South Korea has summoned Kyiv’s ambassador and threatened unspecified "further measures," while President Lee Jae Myung has demanded an official apology. Ukraine denies breaking a confidentiality agreement about the transfer, while its foreign minister calls the dispute a "diplomatic misunderstanding." Vlasiuk noted that most of the oil products shipped to Russia were diesel fuel, accounting for nearly a third (31 percent) of Russia’s fuel imports by sea.

Three of the seven tankers used for the shipments were under Western sanctions. Vlasiuk stated that the shipments occurred precisely when Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries reduced processing volumes, creating a fuel shortage in Russia.