On April 23, 2026, the European Union adopted new measures against Russia as part of its 20th sanctions package. The focus is on the northern Russian port of Murmansk, which has now been officially added to the sanctions list. The decision was announced on April 24, 2026, and primarily targets Russia’s oil sector and its export structures.
Murmansk is considered one of the most important transshipment hubs for Russian crude oil. Following recent Ukrainian drone attacks on the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk in the Gulf of Finland, as well as Novorossiysk in the Black Sea, Murmansk has gained significant importance. At times, the Arctic port has developed into a central hub for Russian oil exports.
According to the EU Council, the port is used by vessels that employ “irregular and high-risk shipping practices.” A large portion of the tankers operating there belong to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” These ships often operate outside international standards, making it difficult to monitor oil transport. Since October 2025, more than 100 such tankers are said to have called at Murmansk.
A key component of the export logistics consists of two floating storage units in Kola Bay. Shuttle tankers transport oil there from production areas such as the Pechora Sea and the Gulf of Ob. The oil is then transferred to conventional tankers and exported to international markets.
With the new sanctions, the EU is targeting not only the port itself but the entire transport chain in the Russian Arctic. This also includes several tankers that have now been sanctioned. Among them are the Arctic shuttle tankers “Mikhail Lazarev” and “Mikhail Ulyanov,” both involved in activities of the Russian company Gazprom Neft.
The tanker “Valentin Pikul” has also been added to the sanctions list. The vessel was built in 2024 at the Zvezda shipyard in Russia’s Far East and is specifically designed for operation in Arctic ice conditions. It belongs to the shipping company Rosnefteflot and is intended for use in the Vostok Oil project on the Taimyr Peninsula, one of Russia’s largest oil projects.
In addition, Rosnefteflot itself has been sanctioned, which is likely to further intensify the economic impact on Russia’s oil industry. Overall, the measures aim to make it more difficult to circumvent existing sanctions and to further restrict the export of Russian oil.
With its 20th sanctions package, the EU is sending a clear signal that it will continue to tighten its measures against Russia, particularly targeting strategically important infrastructure in the energy sector.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal