US could hit Putin's Arctic gas empire by sanctioning 14 LNG tankers

The House of Representatives could vote this week on a bill that would allow the U.S. to sanction vessels transporting Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), including 14 specialized tankers serving the Yamal LNG project, sanctions-monitoring NGO Urgewald told the Kyiv Independent on Sept. 15.

The bill, which targets Russian energy, could put the vessels that transport LNG from Russia's Yamal Peninsula under U.S. sanctions review. The measure comes as Europe prepares to fully ban Russian LNG imports and continues to account for the vast majority of Yamal LNG cargoes.

The Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the Senate 86-11 in August and was advanced by the House Rules Committee on Sept. 14. Further consideration in the House is scheduled for this week.

The legislation would not automatically sanction all 14 Arc7 tankers serving Yamal LNG. Instead, it would require U.S. President Donald Trump to review vessels covered by the bill and determine which meet the criteria for designation.

Under the Senate-approved version, Trump would have 30 days after the bill's enactment to review the vessels and designate qualifying ships as blocked property.

The legislation would also allow sanctions against foreign port owners or operators that knowingly provide services to Russia's sanctioned vessels.

"Sanctions offer Washington a way to support Western security in the High North without putting American troops in harm's way," Alexander Kirk, a sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, said.

Yamal LNG is one of Russia's largest LNG projects and accounts for more than 60% of the country's LNG exports. Despite partial restrictions on Russian LNG, European countries remain the main destinations for the cargo.

European ports received 136 of the 140 Yamal LNG cargoes shipped in the first half of 2026, worth an estimated 5.96 billion euros ($6.82 billion), according to previous Urgewald analysis.

The EU is due to impose a full ban on Russian LNG imports in January 2027. Until then, European demand continues to provide an important market for Russia's Arctic LNG exports.

The 14 Arc7 tankers are specially designed to navigate the harsh winter conditions around Russia's Yamal Peninsula. Disrupting even part of their trade routes could have substantial consequences for Russia's ability to export LNG and generate revenue from the industry.