{
  "id": 16665001,
  "title": "Inside Russia’s shadow oil trade: WSJ examines how a failed business partnership led to multimillion-dollar lawsuits and allegations of threats involving Chechen fighters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/inside-russias-shadow-oil-trade-wsj-examines-how-a-failed-business",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-26T21:36:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/27/inside-russia-s-shadow-oil-trade-wsj-examines-how-a-failed-business-partnership-led-to-multimillion-dollar-lawsuits-and-allegations-of-threats-involving-chechen-fighters"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to The Wall Street Journal, a failed business partnership has led to multimillion-dollar lawsuits and allegations of threats involving Chechen fighters in Russia's shadow oil trade. In 2017, Igor Soglayev left his position at Rosneft to pursue private ventures in the petrochemical industry. Soglayev planned to act as an intermediary for buyers looking to deal with Russian oil despite sanctions, buying diesel in Russia and reselling it at a markup to Brazilian distributors. His suppliers were part of the Coral network, a group linked to Azerbaijani businessmen Tahir Garayev and Etibar Eyyub, who became Rosneft's main oil traders after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Soglayev allegedly claimed that Andrey Romanovskiy, the head of Dia33, a firm in Dubai where he bought Russian diesel in late 2023, was connected to the Coral network. However, the relationship ended when a Brazilian port refused to unload an aging tanker carrying tens of millions of dollars worth of diesel. The fuel sellers accused Soglayev of misappropriating the cargo and filed a lawsuit in Dubai, resulting in a $42 million judgment against him. Soglayev then sued the Coral network in Dubai and Brazil, alleging misappropriation of information and lost profits of over $500 million. He also claimed he received threats, including a death threat from Eyyub, who reportedly mentioned discussing their dispute with a \"Chechen warlord.\" A Dubai court ordered Eyyub, Garayev, and 13 others to freeze assets worth up to $700 million, but the judge later questioned his jurisdiction and the asset freeze remains in effect.",
  "summary": "After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian oil came under sanctions, and little-known intermediaries using shell companies and a shadow fleet of tankers took over a large share of its exports. A network of companies linked to Azerbaijani businessmen Tahir Garayev and Etibar Eyyub became one of Rosneft’s main oil traders. They are now in a legal battle with former Rosneft executive…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "People Daily Kenya",
        "title": "Mudavadi lands in Russia for summit as Kenya seeks new trade, investment deals",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/mudavadi-lands-in-russia-for-summit-as-kenya-seeks-new-trade",
        "published": "2026-10-26T17:07:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}