Ukraine accuses Greek tankers of supporting Russia in the war

The government of Ukraine has identified Greek companies that use tankers to transport Russian oil as "candidates for sanctions", due to their involvement in providing critical goods and services to the public and private sector and their impact on Russia's budget. According to the Ukrainian authorities, these companies help Russia to wage war against Ukraine.

Greek companies using tankers, headed by well-known industry leaders such as George Economou, George Prokopiou, Andreas Martinos, Nikolas Maritnos and Diamantis Diamantis Diamantidis, are on the list of best-known companies. These companies include TMS Tankers, Minerva Marine, Thenamaris Ship Management, Dynacom Tankers Management and Delta Tankers.

These companies are accused of supplying Russian oil, which allows Russia to fund its war against Ukraine. Reports of magazines such as Lloyd’s List Intelligence show the involvement of Greek companies in Russian oil transport. Lloyd’s estimated that Greek-controlled tankers still haul to Russian ports in the Baltic and Black Sea, carrying as much as a third of the Russian oil market.

There have recently been many reports of tankers floating in the dark. The EU allows Russian oil trade below the maximum price, but imposes restrictions on ships on the transport of oil and oil products to third countries. There are also prohibitions on technical assistance, brokering or financing.

It is also worth noting that efforts to draw attention to Greek actions arise at a time when Ukraine is aggressively working on the extension and possible extension of the grain export agreement, which is dependent on the same shipping community, which is mentioned for its efforts in the oil sector. Bullker operators and their vessels provide Ukraine with a critical source of income.

In total, Ukraine seeks to highlight what it calls "international war sponsors" to exert pressure on companies using tankers and other entities that, according to Ukraine, support Russia in conducting war activities in the territory of Ukraine.

According to the government of Ukraine, Russia is unable to wage war on such a scale without supplies of fuel, weapons, equipment and other resources. Ukraine believes that the companies that supply these raw materials to Russia are helping it to wage war on its territory.

Ukraine takes various measures to put pressure on these companies and traders. One such action is to call on countries and international organisations to impose sanctions on them. Ukraine argues that these sanctions should include a ban on trade with Russia and the freezing of assets and accounts of these companies.

Kiev also publishes information about these companies and their actions to reveal to the world who supports Russia in conducting war activities in Ukraine. Thus Ukraine tries to put pressure on these companies to give up trade with Russia and to contribute to the end of the conflict in Ukraine.

Written by JB