America and UK put two Russian oil majors on blacklist, as US sanctions spree spreads to 183 ‘shadow fleet’ vessels

Once Russia made its move to light the match that started the conflict in Ukraine, which turned into a war that has been raging for nearly three years, the Western nations embarked on a mission to drain the war chest that bankrolls Russia’s activities in Ukraine, hitting the country that stretches nearly halfway around the Northern Hemisphere with sanctions galore. The latest raft of sanctions, which comes from the United States (U.S.) and the United Kingdom (UK), targets Russia’s energy sector by focusing on two giant Russian oil producers alongside means of enabling crude oil production and exports.

After the start of the Ukraine crisis, the U.S., the UK, the European Union (EU), G7, and allied partners imposed an extensive series of sanctions, targeting Russia’s economy, especially the energy sector to curb the Kremlin’s revenues to finance its war effort. One of the key measures taken since 2022 encompasses an embargo on Russian seaborne oil imports and a price cap on oil and its products that restrict profits while still allowing sales below a certain price.

The 14th package of sanctions the EU imposed on Russia was the first to include liquefied natural gas, banning all future investments and exports related to Russian projects of this type. The transshipment of Russian LNG in the EU’s ports is also going to be prohibited after a transitional period. 

However, Russia found ways around these sanctions, including through the creation of a shadow fleet of vessels, also known as a dark fleet and sometimes mentioned as a ghost fleet, that is said to use concealing tactics to smuggle its oil, gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) products around the world to circumvent these economic sanctions.

As a result, the Western nations have been working on strengthening their enforcement mechanisms to prevent Russia from chartering or insuring oil tankers unless they comply with the limits imposed and curtail the activities of the Russian shadow fleet, which is evading these restrictions.

To this end, the European Parliament came up with a resolution, calling for additional measures against the shadow fleet in the EU sanctions packages, including all individual ships alongside their owners, operators, managers, accounts, banks, and insurance companies.

Afterward, the European Council adopted the 15th sanctions package against Russia, hardening the EU’s stance on the country’s dark fleet and signaling further efforts on its part to come to grips with sanctions’ circumvention. In addition, 12 European countries, including the UK, ironed out a set of measures in Estonia to disrupt the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet.

The UK also recently took steps to sanction 20 shadow fleet ships carrying Russian oil, enabling the total number of sanctioned vessels to surpass 100 ships that are allegedly used to transport Russian energy, including 93 oil tankers.

Based on the data the U.S. and its allies have compiled, Russia is using old tankers, which are usually uninsured, to send its crude oil and petroleum products around the globe despite the numerous sanctions imposed by the EU, G7, and international players.

With this in mind, the U.S. Department of the Treasury took further action to fulfill the G7 commitment to curb Russian primary revenue source, which is coming from energy, by imposing a sweeping set of new sanctions that include Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, more than 180 oil-carrying vessels that are perceived to be members of the shadow fleet, dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, and insurance companies with Russian ties, and energy officials.

While the U.S. has described the new additions to its sanctioned list of ships that are thought to participate in smuggling sanctioned oil goods as “unprecedented,” these are just the tip of the iceberg compared to the full list of sanctions imposed on Russia as a way to force the county to end its military activities on Ukraine soil.

The Biden-Harris administration, which will soon be replaced by the Trump administration, has been very active and successful in uniting its allies in imposing sanctions on Russian goods, especially those related to the country’s fossil fuels.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the new sanctions are underpinned by the issuance of a new determination that authorizes sanctions under Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 against persons operating or having operated in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy, substantially upping the ante on sanctions risks associated with the Russian oil trade.

Janet L. Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, underscored: “The United States is taking sweeping action against Russia’s key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine. This action builds on, and strengthens, our focus since the beginning of the war on disrupting the Kremlin’s energy revenues, including through the G7+ price cap launched in 2022.

“With today’s actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russia’s oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russia’s oil exports.”

The United Kingdom also decided to join the U.S. on January 10, 2024, in a quest described as “striking a fresh blow against Putin’s ability to finance the war in Ukraine” by sanctioning two major Russian oil producers as part of its unwavering support for Ukraine.

This is the first time that the UK and the U.S. are directly sanctioning Gazprom Neft and PJSC Surgutneftegas which produce over 1 million barrels of oil per day between them, worth roughly $23 billion a year at current prices, which is more than the GDP of Jamaica.

“The profits from these 2 companies are lining Putin’s war chest and facilitating the war. Keeping the country safe is this government’s first priority and is an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. Every blow we strike against Russia’s oil revenues is another step towards a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, and a step towards security and prosperity in the UK and beyond,” highlighted the UK government.

The UK and U.S. are convinced that their latest action will clamp down on Putin’s flow of revenues from oil, which are considered vital to Russia’s war economy, making up roughly a quarter of the country’s entire budget in 2023. Therefore, the duo believes Russia’s ability to generate revenues from energy sales will be “significantly” curtailed thanks to the new batch of sanctions.

David Lammy, UK’s Foreign Secretary, commented: “Oil revenues are the lifeblood of Putin’s war economy. We will not stand by and let oil profits endanger the lives of Ukrainians – nor will we let Russia keep filling its coffers as it continues to threaten our collective security. Taking on Russian oil companies will drain Russia’s war chest – and every ruble we take from Putin’s hands helps save Ukrainian lives.

“That’s why I have made it my personal mission to constrain the Kremlin and those companies propping it up, for the good of our democracy and shared security. With the Russian economy on the back foot, facing high and accelerating interest rates and haemorrhaging billions into an unsustainable and illegal invasion, we will continue to work with our allies in the United States to turn the screw on Putin and his barbaric war.”

A few days ago, the UK’s Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) published two guidance documents on compliance with the UK’s sanctions against Russia, focusing on combating sanctions evasion and incorporating ‘no Russia’ clauses in customer contracts to support Britain’s businesses in understanding and mitigating the risks associated with Russian sanctions evasion, offering guidance on understanding circumvention practices and recommendations for mitigation steps.

The U.S. Department of State alongside the Treasury is taking steps to reduce Russia’s energy revenues by blocking two active liquefied natural gas projects, a large Russian oil project, and third-country entities supporting Russia’s energy exports, designating various Russia-based oilfield service providers and senior officials of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.

The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, issued a determination that authorizes the imposition of sanctions on any person determined to operate or has operated in the energy sector of the Russian Federation’s economy, boosting the ability of Treasury and State to target Russia’s revenues generated from the export of its oil.

This was further fortified by issuing amended General License 8L, which authorizes certain wind-down transactions related to energy through March 12, 2025, to reduce Russia’s ability to leverage this sector and fund its so-called war machine.

The U.S. has prohibited the provision of its petroleum services to persons in the Russian Federation, cutting off Russia’s access to U.S. services related to the extraction and production of crude oil and other petroleum products, beginning on February 27, 2025.

OFAC did not stop at sanctioning two of Russia’s most significant oil producers and exporters for operating or having operated in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy, as it also designated over two dozen Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas subsidiaries, in which the duo owns shares of 50% or more, directly or indirectly, even if not identified by OFAC.

The list of Russia-based entities that are designated as Gazprom Neft’s subsidiaries encompasses the operator of an oil refinery called Gapzromneft Moscow Refinery Joint Stock Company, oil producer Gazprom Neft Shelf Limited Liability Company, jet fuel supplier Gazpromneft Aero Joint Stock Company, Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials Limited Liability Company, Gazpromneft Khantos Limited Liability Company, Gazpromneft Lubricants, Gazpromneft Noyabrsk Oil and Gas Joint Stock Company, Gazpromneft Omsk Refinery Joint Stock Company, Gazpromneft Orenburg Limited Liability Company, Gazpromneft Technological Partnerships Limited Liability Company, Gazpromneft Vostok, Gazpromneft Yamal Limited Liability Company, Gazpromneft Zapolyarye Limited Liability Company, and Limited Liability Company Gazpromneft Regional Sales.

In addition, several companies have been sanctioned for being owned or controlled by Gazprom Neft and acting on its behalf directly or indirectly, including the Russian oil major’s Tajikistan-based subsidiary known as Chamaiyati Doroi Masauliyati Makhdudi Gazprom Neft Tadzhikistan,theLuxembourg-based Gazprom Neft International, Kazakhstan-based Gazprom Neft Kazakhstan, Serbia-based Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) AD Novi Sad, Kyrgyz Republic-based OSOO Gazprom Neft Aziya, and ZAO Munay Myrza.

The day after the U.S. disclosed sanctions imposed against Russia’s energy sector, which target NIS because of its Russian ties, as the lion’s share of the firm (56.15% interest) is owned by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft, Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, confirmed that Azerbaijan informed the Balkan country of a suspension in daily gas deliveries of 1.7 million cubic meters.

The gas supply suspension, which was interpreted as being connected to a technical issue associated with BP’s shutdown of operations at its Shah Deniz Alfa (SDA) platform to handle a subsea pipeline malfunction, is no longer looming over Serbia, thanks to a plot twist that came on Sunday when Vučić revealed there would be no suspension of gas for Serbia on Azerbaijan’s part, despite the previous notice and the technical issue that has cropped up.

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The subsidiaries of Surgutneftegas, which are in the same boat as their Gazprom Neft brethren and will suffer the same fate, are Kaliningradnefteprodukt OOO, KINEF OOO, Kirishiavtovservis AO, Lengiproneftekhim OOO, Novgorodproduct OOO, Pskovnefteprodukt OOO, and SO Tvernefteprodukt OOO. Additionally, Joint Stock Company Surgutneftegasbank (SNGB), a Russia-based commercial bank, is being added to the sanctioned pile for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy.

As the United States claims Russia has grown increasingly reliant on vessels that make up its growing ghost fleet that participates in high-risk shipping practices to facilitate illicit or sanctionable activity, it put measures in place to sanction 183 vessels, largely oil tankers that are believed to be part of the shadow fleet and those owned by Russia-based fleet operators.

Several of the sanctioned vessels have shipped not only Russian oil but also sanctioned Iranian oil, according to America’s data. On top of this, OFAC is also sanctioning two Russia-based maritime insurance providers, Ingosstrakh Insurance Company and Alfastrakhovanie Group, which were previously sanctioned by the UK.

Similarly, the U.S. underlines that Russia’s dependence on opaque traders willing to ship and sell its oil has dramatically increased, with the country often relying on those registered in high-risk jurisdictions with “murky” corporate structures concealing their business activities, and companies with personnel links to Russia. Treasury is designating Sovcomflot, Russia’s state-owned shipping company and fleet operator that specializes in the transportation of hydrocarbons and the servicing and support of offshore oil production, for operating or having operated in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy.

In light of this, 69 Sovcomflot-owned vessels, including 54 oil and product tankers and 4 LNG tankers, have been identified as blocked property. This comes after the Treasury previously sanctioned Sovcomflot for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy and for being owned or controlled by the government of the Russian Federation, with 14 crude oil tankers pinpointed as blocked property.

OFAC is also sanctioning two UAE-based ship managers, Fornax Ship Management FZCO (Fornax) and Stream Ship Management FZCO (Stream), which are believed to be part of Sovcomflot’s support network through which it sought to circumvent sanctions by transferring the management of tankers to Fornax and Stream that have managed oil-related vessels during port calls in the Russian Federation.

The list of other Russian-owned crude oil tankers includes Gazpromneft Marine Bunker Limited Liability Company; Joint Stock Company Rosnefteflot (Rosnefteflot) as the marine transportation arm of Russian oil company Rosneft; Argo Tanker Group and its managed Russia-flagged crude oil tanker Dignity; Sunor as the registered owner of the Russia-flagged tankers Boray, Sanar 7, and Sanar 8; RPK Nord Limited Liability Company (RPK Nord) as the beneficial owner of the Russia-flagged floating crude oil storage tanker Umba, salvage tug Buk, tug Vyaz, and tug Tis; LK Volga Limited Liability Company (LK Volga) as the beneficial owner of the Russia-flagged floating crude oil storage tanker Kola.

The United States list of companies that are thought to be part of the Russian shadow fleet as they have made port calls in a Russian port where oil has consistently traded well above the $60 price cap on Russian-origin crude oil imposed by the U.S. and its international partners in the Price Cap Coalition known as the $60 price cap, entails Prominent Shipmanagement Limited (PSML) as the commercial and technical manager of the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker Fjord Seal, which also manages Corum, Valour, Salty Wolf, Sakarya, Sable, Cankiri, Elegance, Venture, Samsun, Sivas, Orient Vision, and Orient Harmony.

Nine of these are considered to be part of the shadow fleet while Samsun is believed to have also shipped Iranian oil. The list of sanctioned firms also contains Sao Viet Petrol Transportation Company (Sao Viet)as the beneficial owner of the Vietnam-flagged crude oil tankers Panda, Ivy, Leopard, Astra, and the Panama-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carrier Owens(IMO 9223540). The first three have been identified as members of the shadow fleet while Panda, Ivy, Leopard, and Owens tankers are said to have also shipped Iranian oil.

Moreover, the sanctioned companies are also Sino Ship Management Company, Sunne, Meghan Group, Trident Infinity, Serpens, Amsha Maritime (Amsha), Aristos Maritime Incorporated (Aristos), Bluejourney Shipping (Bluejourney), Celestial Star Corporation (Celestial), Doxa Shipping Line Inc (Doxa), Elgon Maritime Corporation (Elgon), Frina Express Corporation (Frina), Cheng Shipping and Trader (Cheng Shipping), Columba, Crius, Cube Ventures Shipping (Cube), Hengtai Shipping, Hera Gam, Hong Kong Yongye Shipping (HK Yongye), Kangen Maritime Corporation (Kangen), Kupa Lines Incorporated (Kupa), Luseia Marine Services (Luseia), Noblefu Company (Noblefu), Ocean Waters Maritime Corporation (Ocean Waters), and Symi Shipping.

The expanded U.S. list of sanctioned entities connected to the Russian ghost fleet and the country’s energy sector has other players too, such as Loengo Shipping and Trader, Surrey Quays Company, Selena Lively, Double Harmony Marine Corporation (Double Harmony), Gessi Maritime Corporation (Gessi), Merluza Group (Merluza), Lepus Sai (Lepus), Harmony Grove Corporation (Harmony Grove), Ambra, Odine Marine Incorporated (Odine), Wavecrest Maritime (Wavecrest), Aquaquasar Holding (Aquaquasar), Tagabo Maritime Corporation (Tagabo), Danika Robert, Xingfu Hai Shipping, Gifted Peak, Huihai Hong Kong Shipping (Huihai Hong Kong), Hong Kong Hanyuan Shipping (Hong Kong Hanyuan), Worthalliance, Haima Shipping (Haima), Kat Dennings, and Lagosmarine.

The United States also decided to target two maritime insurance providers, Ingosstrakh Insurance Company (Ingosstrakh) and Alfastrakhovanie Group (Alfastrakhovanie), which are headquartered in Moscow and have insured oil tankers transporting Russian petroleum products.

According to the United States, many of the sanctioned firms were established in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and quickly began moving hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Russian oil within months of their creation. OFAC, which previously sanctioned such traders, has now taken further action by sanctioning “opaque traders and a shadowy government of Russia-linked network facilitating massive amounts of oil exports.”

The U.S. claims that the UAE-based Black Pearl Energy Trading (Black Pearl) has been a major trader of Russian crude oil, including barrels priced above the $60 price cap, since 2023, enabling it to likely sell more than $2 billion worth of Russian crude oil and oil products thanks to its connections with the government of the Russian Federation, which is probably involved in its operations.

Based on the United States’ information, Black Pearl has worked on moving the oil with Russia-based Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Tsentr Ekspluatatsionnykh Uslug (OSC), which is wholly owned by the Russian government and involved in the domestic and international projects of the Russian Ministry of Energy.

The Russian national, Denis Olegovich Deryushkin, who is perceived to be a Black Pearl employee involved in Black Pearl’s Russian oil-related activities, is a longtime operator in the Russian energy industry, having previously been the deputy director of the Russian Energy Agency (REA), a division of the Russian Ministry of Energy. While at the REA, Deryushkin created an analytical center focusing on research and consulting activities and presented it to Russia’s Ministry of Energy leadership.

Furthermore, one more Russian national, Alexander Valeryevich Nemirovskiy,is mentioned as another employee involved in Black Pearl’s Russian crude oil deals while the UAE-based Conmar Maritime DMCC (Conmar) is said to be affiliated with Black Pearl and has operated on behalf of the former, including by providing financial services. Latvian national Aleksejs Halavins is also on the list for being deeply involved in Black Pearl’s Russian oil trade as a prolific buyer of above-price-cap Russian oil since 2023.

Meanwhile, OFAC is also designating multiple companies owned or controlled by Halavins, which owns and manages UAE-based Conrad Management Company LLC FZ (Conrad), Liberia-registered Lule One Services (Lule), and Lathyrus Shipping Company (Lathyrus), UAE-registered International Marine Management FZE (International Marine) and Liberia-registered Fulda Shipping Co (Fulda).

Among those that made it to the list of sanctioned entities that are believed to be traders of Russian oil are also UAE-based Arctos Shipping And Trade DMCC, established in November 2023 and said to be the supplier of at least six shipments of Russian crude oil between February 2024 and May 2024; UAE-based Demex Trading Limited DMCC, which bought over 700 shipments of crude oil and diesel fuel from Russia worth at least $8 billion in 2023; and UAE-based Eterra Crude Oil Abroad Trading, established in November 2022 and believed to be the consignee for over 300 shipments of crude oil originating from Russia between September 2023 and April 2024.

The list also includes Hong Kong-based Guron Trading as the consignee for over 400 shipments of crude oil originating from Russia between May 2023 and April 2024; UAE-based Marion Commodity DMCC, established in July 2023 and perceived as the supplier of over 250 shipments of crude oil originating from Russia between January 2024 and May 2024; UAE-based Marsa Energy Trading DMCC as the consignee for over 300 shipments of crude oil originating from Russia between March 2022 and April 2024; UAE-based Pratum Oil Trading, established in September 2022 and acted as the consignee for over 50 shipments of crude oil originating from Russia between August 2023 and April 2024.

In addition to these companies, there are also Hong Kong-based Sunrise X Trading, which was established in June 2022 and considered as the buyer of at least 30 shipments of Russia crude oil, with shipments totaling more than $800 million, between January 2023 and May 2023; and UAE-based Zion Trade, created in January 2024, and believed to have supplied at least 10 shipments of Russian export blend crude oil between April 2024 and May 2024.

“Russia’s domestic oil industry is supported by providers with critical specialized services that enable producers to keep oil flowing from wells and provide technical know-how and equipment to allow oil producers to access challenging reserves,” explained the U.S. while disclosing sanctions for over 30 Russia-based oilfield service providers.

Several Russia-based oilfield service providers that are being designated to the list of sanctioned companies for operating or having operated in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy are Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Achimgaz, Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Gazprom Shelfproekt, Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Samotlorneftepromkhim, Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Upravlenie Po Povysheniyu Nefteotdachi Plastov I Kapitalnomu Remontu Skvazhin, Argos, Atlas NNB, Denkars, Energy of Oil and Gas Service, Frakdzhet Volga, LLC Golfstrim, Joint Stock Company Investgeoservis, Joint Stock Company OFS Technologies, Leninogorskremservice Limited Liability Company, and Limited Liability Company Catkoneft.

Other players that also made the cut are Limited Liability Company Naftagaz Drilling, Limited Liability Company Oil Service Garant, Limited Liability Company RN Service, Limited Liability Company Welltech, Nauchno Proizvodstvennoe Predpriyatie Burenie, Newteck Well Service, Paker Service, Petro Welt Technologies, RN Burenie Limited Liability Company, RN-Grp, RN Vankor, Rusgazalyans, Service Prom Komplektatsiya, Taimyrburservis, Tekhnraiz, TNG Grupp, Tsentr Nauchno Issledovatelskikh I Proizvodstvennykh Rabot, TSS Limited Liability Company, UDS Neft, and Veteran.

Aside from these, OFAC also decided to sanction more than a dozen leading Russian energy officials and executives, including the CEOs of the country’s oil producers. These individuals, all of whom are Russian nationals, are Yusuf Vagitovich Alekperov, who is the founder and owner of Welltech; Peter Mikhailovich Bobylev, the Head of the Department for Coal Industry Development at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Nikolaevich Chernov, the CEO of a major Russian oil company; Aleksandr Valeryevich Dyukov, the CEO of Gazprom Neft; Sergei Ivanovich Kudryashov, the CEO of a big Russian oil company; and Nail Ulfatovich Maganov, the General Director of a giant Russian oil company.

The U.S. has also sanctioned Roman Anatolyevich Marshavin, a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation; Vadim Alekseevich Pavlov, the Director of the Department for the Implementation of Special Projects at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation; Dmitry Borisovich Semenov, the Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation; and Eduard Mikhailovich Sheremettsev, a Deputy Minister of Energy and the Head of Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation;

The list also includes Artem Aleksandrovich Verhov, the Director of the Gas Industry Development Department at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation; Vadim Nikolaevich Vorobyev, the CEO of Lukoil OAO (Lukoil), a major Russian oil company that is subject to certain restrictions; and Vladimir Leonidovich Bogdanov, the CEO of Surgutneftegas.

The latest batch of sanctions will ensure that all property and interests of the sanctioned individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. This means that any entities owned, directly or indirectly by these persons with the interest reaching 50% or more, are also in the blocked pile.

The U.S. elaborated: “All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

“Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. […] In addition, foreign financial institutions that conduct or facilitate significant transactions or provide any service involving Russia’s military-industrial base, including any persons blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024, run the risk of being sanctioned by OFAC.”

The impressive show of unity U.S. President Joe Biden has managed to secure with other Western nations, following the start of the Ukraine crisis, is expected to be put to a test, once President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House on January 20 since his agenda differs from Biden’s worldview and his priorities lie elsewhere, given his expansionist zest toward Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal.

Some have even gone as far as comparing the President-elect’s so-called ‘imperialist’ pretensions toward expanding the U.S. territory to include these three areas and his plans to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, as being equivalent to Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Ukraine’s territories, albeit mostly off the record.

These views, mostly shared anonymously or with strict instructions not to reveal the sources, are coming after Trump dismissed the use of military force for Canada in favor of achieving his goals with economic pressure through taxes, but did not extend the same courtesy and exclude sending boots on the ground for Greenland and the Panama Canal.

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Many have also publicly and anonymously pointed out the dangers of allowing any change in established borders, especially when the current world order is suffering hits on multiple sides that threaten to topple it and erect a new one that would manifest itself much faster in such circumstances, as a change in internationally recognized borders would open the Pandora’s box of expansionism.

This is believed to carry the seeds needed to set a precedent that could lead to many more wars around the world, as others follow the example to take for themselves the territories they want, putting the world in jeopardy and increasing the risk of setting off a third world war, which would most likely turn into a nuclear disaster of epic proportions.

Given his usual dedication toward ensuring economic growth and America’s dominance around the world, Trump is wise enough to know that once such a flame ignites, it will be extremely difficult to put it out once again and ensure the dominance of any nation, regardless of its power before the expansionist momentum spread across the globe like the plaque.

Therefore, global safety experts and analysts argue that the President-elect will probably use these threats of taking over the territories in question as a means to secure better deals for the U.S. as indicated by Denmark’s alleged proposal that was sent to the members of the incoming Trump administration concerning Greenland.

In the meantime, Gazprom confirmed its projected investment program and budget for 2025 at the end of December 2024, earmarking RUB 1.52 trillion (almost $15.22 billion), a drop of about 7% compared to the planned spending of RUB 1.64 trillion (nearly $16.43 billion) for 2024, to pursue its top-priority energy projects aimed at securing gas balance in peak periods.

This will bankroll gas developments such as a boost in production centers in eastern Russia and the Yamal Peninsula, infrastructure expansion in Russian regions, the Power of Siberia gas trunkline capacity enlargement together with the gas processing complex, and the implementation of the Eastern Gas Supply System trunkline project.