The Federal Customs Service of Russia reported on the detection of illegal movement of oil to Ukraine through Novorossiysk.

According to the information provided by the press service of the department, we are talking about the smuggling of 80 thousand tons of oil worth more than 2 billion rubles.

“During the verification activities, it turned out that the captain of the tanker Altai, after loading 80 thousand tons of oil in the port of Novorossiysk, declared the port of destination Augusta (Italy) upon departure, but after leaving the territory of the Russian Federation went to the port of Yuzhny (Ukraine), where he carried out unloading of goods in violation of the ban, ”the message says.

Thus, the government's ban on the export of crude oil from Russia to the territory of Ukraine was violated.

It was established that the captain of the tanker had previously received a voyage assignment for the transportation of oil to Ukraine from a representative of the operator company, which is registered in the UK.

He was also instructed not to disclose at the port of loading information about the port of destination and the consignee of the cargo.

“The Central Energy Customs has initiated a criminal case on this fact under Part 1 of Art.

226.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - "Smuggling of strategically important resources on a large scale", - explained in the FCS.

The sanction under this article provides for a punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of three to seven years, with a fine in the amount of 1 million rubles or in the amount of the salary or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to five years or without it, and with restriction of liberty for a term of up to one years or not.

Sergei Pikin, director of the Energy Development Fund, in an interview with RT, noted that smuggling petroleum products to Ukraine is a profitable business for local citizens against the backdrop of a ban on the export of these products introduced by Russia in the summer of 2019.

“Such supplies are handled by private business, in Ukraine everything is private.

People have stopped making money, so they are looking for loopholes.

Smuggling, not smuggling, they don't care.

In Ukraine, they will come to an agreement with everyone they need, ”he explained.

  • Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port

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Recall that on October 22, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On the application of special economic measures in connection with the unfriendly actions of Ukraine against citizens and legal entities of the Russian Federation."

“The Government of the Russian Federation shall determine the lists of individuals and legal entities in respect of which special economic measures are applied;

determine special economic measures applied to individuals and legal entities;

ensure, in accordance with its competence, the implementation of other measures necessary for the implementation of this decree, "- said in the document.

On April 18, 2019, Dmitry Medvedev, who at that time was prime minister, announced that Russia was introducing a ban on oil exports to Ukraine.

“A ban is being established on the export of Russian oil and oil products to Ukraine.

Thirdly, a list of goods is determined that from June 1 of this year can be exported to Ukraine only on the basis of separate permits.

This category includes the products of the fuel and energy complex, including coal and the same oil and oil products, ”said the then head of the Cabinet.

As stated in the decree of the Russian government, upon receipt of permission from the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, it will be possible to supply coal and coal industry products, gasoline, diesel fuel, and liquefied gases to Ukraine.

The Ukrtatnafta oil refining company emphasized that such a decision could lead to the collapse of the economy and pose a threat to the security of Ukraine.

“Now that the termination of such supplies is becoming a reality, it can really lead to a collapse not only in the fuel market, but also in the Ukrainian economy,” the statement said.

On May 31, ahead of the entry into force of the Russian government's decree banning the ban on the supply of coal, oil and oil products to Ukraine, then Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexander Danilyuk said that retaliatory Russian restrictive measures would create difficulties for Kiev.

“There are problems associated with the actions of the Russian Federation, restrictive measures that will be introduced from June 2, that is, in two days.

This will possibly create serious challenges for Ukraine.

We must be ready for this, ”he said.