The Kremlin warned on Monday that the latest U.S. sanctions on Russia’s energy sector could destabilize global oil markets, and Moscow will take measures to minimize their impact.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "It is clear that the United States will continue to try to undermine the positions of our companies in non-competitive ways, but we expect that we will be able to counteract this." He emphasized, "Such decisions cannot but lead to a certain destabilisation of international energy markets."
The U.S. Treasury’s recent sanctions, imposed on Friday, target Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, as well as 183 vessels involved in shipping Russian oil. The move aims to reduce Russia's revenues for its war efforts in Ukraine. A U.S. official noted that the sanctions could cost Russia billions of dollars per month if fully enforced.
In response, Chinese and Indian refiners, major buyers of Russian oil, have begun searching for alternative crude supplies, as many affected tankers had previously shipped oil to these countries.
Peskov noted that recent experience has demonstrated it's impossible to fully block natural energy supply routes. He added, "You block something in one place, and an alternative option appears somewhere else. Therefore, a search will be conducted for work options that will minimise the consequences of sanctions."
