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Australia’s latest sanctions on Russia’s “shadow fleet” are symbolic and still fall short of measures imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom, an expert says, despite praise from Ukraine’s ambassador.
The $95 million aid package brings Australia’s total support of Ukraine to $1.7 billion since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a joint statement on Thursday.
The ministers also announced targeted sanctions on an additional 45 Russian “shadow fleet” vessels — tankers used to carry Russian crude oil to countries such as India and China, where it is refined and sold on to markets including Australia.
The addition of 45 new vessels brings the total number of sanctioned shadow fleet ships to 200, according to Thursday’s joint statement.
Wong pointed out that “Australian imports of Russian energy products have plummeted from $80 million to nothing since Russia’s invasion.” However, Moiseienko emphasized that direct imports are merely a small fraction of the larger picture.
Wong said the latest sanctions were “part of a coordinated effort to starve Russia’s oil revenues and limit its ability to finance its invasion”.
However, Anton Moiseienko, a senior law lecturer at the Australian National University, told SBS News the sanctions would not meaningfully restrict Russia’s oil revenue.
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