The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) welcomes today’s announcement by the Australian Government imposing sanctions on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” – a network of vessels used to circumvent international sanctions and transport Russian oil covertly. The AFUO is particularly grateful to Minister Penny Wong and her team for leading the charge on this initiative.

These sanctions send a strong and necessary signal that Australia will not be complicit in funding Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. The shadow fleet represents a deliberate attempt to undermine international unity and accountability, and Australia’s action today addresses part of the gap in existing sanctions enforcement.

Ms Kateryna Argyrou, AFUO Chair, said today “We commend the Australian Government for taking this step to hold Russia accountable and disrupt the murky oil trade funding its aggression. These vessels operate with little transparency, poor safety standards, and in direct defiance of global sanctions.

“More importantly, we urge the Government to take the next step and fully close the sanctions loophole, by completely banning the import of any petroleum which is made from Russian crude oil. Without this, Russian crude continues to reach Australian petrol stations, generating revenue for the Kremlin’s war budget and enabling Russia’s continued war against Ukraine.

“Recent reports have indicated that in the last 18 months alone, Australians have sent an estimated AUD $1.85 billion to the Kremlin via export taxes. That is more than the $1.5 billion Australia has generously given to Ukraine in aid.

“It’s sickening that our petrol dollars have helped fund weapons that kill innocent civilians and target homes, hospitals and schools. The latest wave of massive aerial assaults against Kyiv and cities across Ukraine show just how urgent it is to cut off the flow of money and stop funding Russia’s war crimes.

“It is absolutely imperative that Australia should next move to ban the import of all refined petroleum products that originate from Russian crude oil, regardless of where they are processed. We urge further coordinated action by Australia and its partners to uphold international law, support Ukraine’s sovereignty and help bring an end to Russia’s brutal slaughtering of civilians,” she concluded.