A citizen of Latvia plays a key role in the work of the “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation

The figure of the criminal scheme transported purchased sanctioned raw materials from the Russian Federation to India and China, earning more than 1.4 billion dollars.

Latvian businessman Alekseys Halavinsh used shell companies to help tankers transporting Russian oil to circumvent sanctions. Gospodarka Morska writes about it.

Thanks to the purchase of oil from the Russian “Surgutneftegaz” at a price higher than the established limit, the Latvian additionally earned at least 1.4 billion dollars.

In particular, the entrepreneur transported the purchased raw materials to India and China. In addition, according to Israel, one of the tankers was supposed to deliver oil to the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iranian armed forces.

Freight companies associated with Latvia are registered in Cyprus and Dubai. According to Marinetraffic, some cargo vessels regularly ply between Russian oil terminals in Primorsk, Ust-Luz and Kozmin (Far East) and ports in India and China. The Latvian is also connected with the former head of the Russian “Promsirioimport”, which was sanctioned for supplying fuel to Crimea and Syria.

According to estimates, Russia’s annual revenues from oil trade above the established price ceiling amount to approximately 7-11 billion dollars. These funds constitute a significant part of the financing of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine.

The Latvian agency LETA noted that EU citizens who are involved in circumventing Western sanctions against Russia may be held criminally liable. The Criminal Code of Latvia provides for punishment for such actions, even if the actions violating the prohibitions were committed abroad.

The day before, USM wrote that Russian tankers, despite the sanctions, had been unloading oil in EU ports for weeks.