Britain sanctions Russia’s energy firms

LONDON:

Britain imposed sanctions on Thursday on more Russian oil companies and Canadian-Pakistani billionaire Murtaza Lakhani as part of efforts to ramp up pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. 

The government targeted 24 individuals and entities, including what it described as Russia’s largest remaining unsanctioned oil companies: Tatneft, Russneft, NNK-Oil and Rusneftegaz. 

The latest measures aim to make it harder for Russia to trade its oil globally. In October, Britain and the US sanctioned Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft. 

Earlier on Thursday, the EU imposed sanctions on 41 more ships in Russia’s so-called shadow fleet that seeks to circumvent Western trading restrictions. Russia has previously dismissed Western sanctions as politically motivated. 

Thursday’s package also included Lakhani, who was sanctioned by the European Union earlier this week, and his companies, which the British government said had become some of the largest traders of Russian oil since 2022.