Ukrainian presidential adviser urges Britons to block ships carrying Russian fossil fuels

Exclusive: ‘This money is used to kill innocent civilians in Ukraine,’ Oleg Ustenko says

A top Ukrainian presidential adviser has called for ships with Russian fossil fuel cargo heading to UK ports to be blocked by Britons, saying they are involved in “bloody money”.

Oleg Ustenko, the chief economic adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky, told The Independent they were helping to finance a war that was “killing innocent civilians” and “destroying” his country.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked concerns over the west’s reliance on fossil fuels from Russia. On top of alarm over their impact on the climate crisis, the conflict has sparked warnings they could be funding military action.

Countries and businesses have moved to distance themselves from Russian oil and gas in light of the war, which has killed hundreds of civilians and displaced millions more in its first month.

But many have stopped short of an immediate ban and opted to “phase out” Russian ties and investments instead.

Mr Zelensky’s chief economic adviser said he wanted to see further and faster action from the international community against Russian fossil fuels.

Oleg Ustenko urges the UK to help ‘cut off’ funding sources for Putin’s ‘military machine’ (Supplied)

In a message to Britons, Mr Ustenko said: “Please, help us cut off Putin’s military machine from this bloody money.”

The Ukrainian presidential adviser urged people to “block” ships due to have their Russian goods unloaded in the UK.

“It should not be the case now. Because this money is used to kill innocent civilians in Ukraine and they use this money to destroy our country,” he said.

The Independent revealed last week more than 230 vessels carrying Russian oil – which brings the state much of its income – had left the country to sail across the world in the first month of the war in Ukraine.

An EU environment chief said the bloc’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels was financing a ‘war chest’ to destroy Ukraine’s cities (Reuters)

This includes several that have set sail for the UK, where Russian ships have been blocked from docking at British ports.

Ones carrying Russian fossil fuels – but whose ships are registered or flagged to different countries – are still allowed. Such vessels faced protests from workers in Kent and Cheshire, who have refused to deal with tankers carrying Russian oil and gas in response to the war in Ukraine.

Elsewhere in Europe, ships carrying Russian fossil fuels have also faced protests since the invasion of Ukraine, including one in Germany being spray painted by Greenpeace protesters.

Greenpeace activists spray ‘Peace – Not Oil’ on vessel carrying Russian oil products in Germany (Getty Images)

Experts say oil exports bring in a large amount of money to the Russian state. Dr Adnan Vatansever from the Russia Institute at King’s College London said this was because the industry was taxed “very heavily”.

Mr Ustenko told The Independent he believed tougher action against Russian fossil fuels could help speed up the end of the conflict in eastern Europe.

“We can win this war much sooner if the international community, business and allies are able to cut off this regime from that kind of finance,” Mr Zelensky’s adviser said.

He also said Ukraine was collecting information and keeping files on who is “supplying Russians with money” during the war – which has seen accusations of civilians caught up in bombings of hospitals and shelters.

“They are financing war against us and also financing war crime,” Mr Ustenko said.

A worker watches an excavator clearing the rubble of a government building hit by Russian rockets in Mykolaiv in Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)

The presidential adviser refused to give details on who this involved, apart from it could include those dealing with Russian fossil fuels.

Ukraine could end up using this information to prosecute following the war, he added.

World leaders have linked the west’s use of Russian fossil fuels to the aggression in Ukraine as they moved to distance their nations from these energy sources.

This includes US president Joe Biden, who said his country’s ban on Russian oil and gas imports would serve a blow to Vladimir Putin’s “war machine”.

Earlier this month, a European Union environment chief said the bloc’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels was financing a “war chest”.

The bloc has vowed to cut energy ties with Russia by 2027. Several of its largest economies are especially dependent on Russia for their energy.

Meanwhile, the UK government has vowed to phase out oil imports from Russia sooner – by the end of the year – and to explore options to reduce gas imports in response to the war.

A UK government spokesperson said: “The UK has already joined the United States in pledging to phase out the importation of Russian oil and have already said we are looking at ways to reduce the small amount of Russian gas we use. While we do not speculate on future sanctions, we are considering all our options.”

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