South Korea shipped fuel to Russia via sanctioned vessels, media reports

In several instances in July and August 2026, fuel was shipped from South Korea to Russia, according to the Guardian on Oct. 6.

Potentially undermining sanctions, over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, from South Korean ports were loaded onto sanctioned Russian tankers, the Guardian reported. The findings were based on an analysis of port records and ship-tracking data.

Seven Russian tankers, including three sanctioned by the UK and EU, made 14 voyages from the nation's far-eastern ports to South Korean ports, where they were loaded with fuel before returning. In one instance, fuel was loaded onto a Russian tanker via ship-to-ship transfer, avoiding South Korean ports.

The transfer of fuel does not appear to violate South Korean law, the Guardian reported, despite involving vessels sanctioned by Seoul's western partners. South Korean export controls against Russia currently focus on electronics, machinery, and vehicles.

While Moscow is known to use its shadow fleet of aging, poorly insured tankers to ship out its oil in violation of international sanctions, Ukrainian attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure have sent it scrambling for fuel.

Ukraine has systematically targeted Russia's oil and gas infrastructure in long-range strikes, dramatically increasing its campaign against oil refineries in the past two years. Kyiv considers refineries valid military targets, as they supply both fuel and funds to the Russian armed forces.

On Oct. 4, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said that over 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity has been disabled by Ukrainian attacks.

Since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, South Korea has stood as an ally to Ukraine, sending ​630 million euros ($706 million) in bilateral aid as of February 2026, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

However, in recent weeks, relations between Seoul and Kyiv have been strained.

President Volodymyr Zelensky angered Seoul after providing details of a transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea during a Sept. 23 U.N. General Assembly speech. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Oct. 2 warned of "additional measures" against Ukraine if its government refuses to take responsibility for a downward spiral in Kyiv-Seoul relations.

While the South Korean foreign ministry did not comment on the findings directly, it told the Guardian in a statement that as “a responsible member of the international community, the [South Korean] government supports, and is actively taking part in, international efforts to help end the war in Ukraine and bring about a peaceful recovery.”