Reuters: Russia continues to supply oil to Syria

Russia has increased its oil supplies from the Arctic to Syria, with total Russian oil shipments to Syria since the beginning of the year reaching about 2.6 million barrels, according to Reuters.

Reuters reported, citing shipping data from an oil industry source and data from the London Stock Exchange Group, that Russia has increased its oil supplies from the Arctic to Syria, which needs crude oil to operate its refineries.

It noted that Russia has long considered Syria a key gateway for its commercial and military operations in the Middle East and Africa.

The agency confirmed that the oil tanker "Metzel," which the United States has imposed sanctions on, loaded approximately 140,000 tons of Russian oil at the Arctic port of Murmansk and is heading to the Syrian port of Baniyas, noting that it has already received several shipments of this oil.

According to the agency, the tankers "Sakina" and "Aquatica" shipped oil from Russia to Syria last March, followed by the tanker "Sabina" last April.

The total Russian oil supplies received by Syria amounted to approximately 350,000 tons, or about 2.6 million barrels, since the beginning of this year, according to the agency.

The tracking service "TankerTrackers" previously reported last March the arrival of a Russian ship carrying one million barrels of crude oil to Syria, a report that was denied by the director of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Oil affiliated with the Damascus government.

"For the first time ever, Russia has shipped 1 million barrels of crude oil to Syria," TankerTrackers reported in a post on its X platform at the time. "Despite a six-month waiver on oil imports granted to Syria by the outgoing Biden administration, the OFAC-blacklisted Sabena (9524451) was tasked with delivering the shipment. Russia uses the fuel as revenue to support its military presence in the port of Tartus."

T/S

ANHA