The UK Government is conducting a large -scale investigation into 37 companies suspected of complicity in the extortion of sanctions imposed against Russian oil. According to the investigation, these firms could participate in schemes that allowed international restrictions on export of Russian energy resources. Although the investigation has been going on for almost two years, since December 2022, no company has officially suffered a punishment.
In December 2022, the Seven Group countries, which were then joined by other states, introduced the embargo on importing Russian oil with sea and ceiling prices for Russian oil at $ 60 per barrel. That is, firms of these countries are forbidden to participate in trade in Russian oil, for example, to insure cargo if the selling price of Barrel is more than $ 60.
The BBC, as stated, has received a request and received a response that the UK Ministry of Finance since December 2022 has opened an investigation into 52 companies suspected of violating this ban.
By August this year, the investigation of 15 cases was completed, in the remaining 37 cases it continues. In this case, no penalties are written.
The names of these firms do not reveal the Treasury of the United Kingdom.
Cases of the intended bypass of sanctions are investigating a special unit of the Ministry - the Bureau of application of financial sanctions (ofsi). In March this year, OFSI received an additional 50 million pounds (about $ 65 million) to provide sanction regime.
The head of oil investigations at the Global Witness Public Anti -Corruption Organization, Luis Wilson, is outraged that the British Ministry of Finance has not punished anyone for complicity at the extortion of sanctions and urges the government to act more decisively.
"If the UK government has an end to the participation of British firms in Putin speculation, then I think others will follow this example," said Wilson BBC.
The Ministry of Finance of the country explains that such investigations are quite complex and therefore take a long time, and Luis Wilson recognizes that firms can easily "suddenly detect" documents that prove their innocence.
The United States, according to Wilson, do not want to increase control over compliance with sanctions, because they fear that the disappearance of a large proportion of Russian oil from the world market will lead to an increase in prices.
The US administration proves that sanctions are working so much: Russia has long been forced to sell oil at a discount of approximately 17%.
In a comment to the BBC, the British Ministry of Finance Prescretic added that, according to the Russian Ministry of Finance, in 2023, oil tax revenues fell by 30% compared to 2022.
Shadow Deputy Foreign Minister, Harriet Baldwin, a member of the House of Communities, said BBC that, according to her information, suppliers and British buyers bypass the price ceiling, sending Russian oil first for processing in third countries, and then importing oil products.
