Ukraine Criticizes South Korea for Supplying Petroleum Products to Russia
- Ukraine criticized South Korea on October 6 for supplying large quantities of diesel and other petroleum products to Russia, pointing to ship-tracking data that reveals a sharp spike...
- According to reports cited by Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Vladyslav Vlasiuk on his Facebook page, seven tankers carried more than 176,000 tons of petroleum products across 14 separate voyages...
- Vlasiuk asserted that South Korea's exports accounted for roughly one-third of Russia's total fuel imports by sea.
Ukraine criticized South Korea on October 6 for supplying large quantities of diesel and other petroleum products to Russia, pointing to ship-tracking data that reveals a sharp spike in maritime fuel shipments amid ongoing diplomatic friction over North Korean prisoners of war.
Shipments to the Russian Far East
According to reports cited by Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Vladyslav Vlasiuk on his Facebook page, seven tankers carried more than 176,000 tons of petroleum products across 14 separate voyages from South Korean ports in Ulsan and Yeosu to the Russian Far East during July and August. The British newspaper The Guardian originally tracked the shipments, noting that most of the cargo consisted of diesel fuel—the exact product facing the most severe shortages within the Russian domestic market.
Fuel Deliveries During Refinery Attacks
Vlasiuk asserted that South Korea’s exports accounted for roughly one-third of Russia’s total fuel imports by sea. He stated that these deliveries coincided directly with Ukrainian airstrikes targeting Russian oil refineries, which had triggered widespread fuel deficits inside Russia. Consequently, he argued that the imports from South Korea provided practical assistance in offsetting the impact of Russia’s lost refining capacity.
Contrasting Trade Practices and Sanctions
In separate commentary posted on the social media platform X, Vlasiuk weighed South Korea’s overall policies toward Moscow, acknowledging positive measures such as expanded export controls and sanctions against organizations involved in North Korea-Russia military cooperation. However, he highlighted several contradictory practices, pointing to South Korea’s absence from the G7 price cap on Russian crude oil, its continued purchases of Russian coal and liquefied natural gas, and its consideration of resuming crude oil and naphtha imports.
South Korea Defends Export Controls Amid Diplomatic Silence
In response to the Guardian report, the South Korean government maintained that it enforces strict export controls on both strategic and non-strategic goods under the Foreign Trade Act, emphasizing its support for international efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and achieving peaceful reconstruction. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other authorities in Kyiv have remained silent regarding South Korean demands for explanations and apologies over a separate dispute involving the unilateral disclosure of a confidential agreement regarding North Korean prisoners of war seeking resettlement in South Korea.