"We continue to synchronize with the EU": Ukraine extends sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet

On January 28, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council extended sanctions against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Monday.

"We continue to synchronize sanctions with the European Union," Zelenskyy wrote on social media. "I signed a decree imposing sanctions on companies that service the Russian tanker fleet and transport sanctioned oil. There are also new sanctions against Kremlin-linked propagandists and operatives involved in cyberattacks against Ukraine and our partners."

The president’s website reported that sanctions were imposed on 10 individuals and six legal entities.

The measures target individuals who supply or export Russian oil through their companies, Kremlin-linked propagandists, and operatives of the GRU military intelligence responsible for cyberattacks on government organizations in Ukraine and other countries to obtain confidential information and destabilize political situations.

Among those sanctioned are businessmen associated with Russian companies Rosneft and Lukoil, including Azerbaijani trader Talat Safarov, Pakistani Murtaza Lakhani, and Russian Valery Kildiyarov.

Sanctions also affect companies from Russia (SeverTransBunker), the United Arab Emirates (Nova Shipmanagement LLC, Citrine Marine SPC), and Vietnam (Hung Phat Maritime Trading Service), which are part of the Russian tanker fleet and own or manage tankers transporting Russian oil, including for export.

The Russian 142nd Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion, involved in disrupting GPS signals in the Baltic States and causing obstacles to civilian aircraft landings, is also under sanctions.

In total, Ukraine has synchronized 15 sanctions packages introduced by its partners over the past year.

Zelenskyy noted that synchronization works both ways — last week the EU imposed sanctions against Russian propagandists who were already under Ukrainian sanctions.

Ukraine has also submitted proposals for the EU’s 20th sanctions package, which is expected to be adopted at the end of February 2026.