Fuelling War
Europe is set to phase out its dependence on Russian oil, gas and coal. But as new sanctions are looming and import volumes sink, a vast network of European ships continues to transport billions of euros worth of fossil fuels and help fill the pockets of the Russian state.
September 2022
Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February 2022, Europe has been trying to figure out a way to gain leverage over Vladimir Putin and help end the unprovoked conflict. But the undertaking is neither easy or clear-cut.
For years, the bloc has been dependent on Russia’s diverse import goods, especially fossil fuels. In 2021, Russia benefited to the tune of €400 billion from EU purchases of its energy.
Despite cutting off some of its financial, scientific and trade ties with the country and plans for more sanctions, Europe’s road towards winning a significant strategic advance over Russia is still long. It is paved with conflicting state and private interests — including those involved in the shipping industry.
Investigate Europe, in collaboration with Reporters United, has examined how shipping firms continue to transport millions of tonnes of fossil fuels from Russia, in spite of the ongoing war and looming embargoes. European vessels have exported more than half of all fossil fuel shipments from Russia internationally since the invasion of Ukraine started. Our new series goes behind the data to detail the extent of these Europe-Russia shipping trades.
We analysed various public datasets, including from CREA, MarineTraffic, Equasis and several other sources. We followed shipments, tracked imports and studied vessel routes to identify the shippers trading with Putin’s Russia. Dive into this investigation through our in-depth data crunch and interactive visualisations.
Explore these stories and more on our website and with our media partners from our year-long investigation exposing European links to the Russian fossil fuel trade.
More from Fuelling War
Publications
Los trasvases incontrolados de petróleo ruso en alta mar se disparan frente a las costas griegas
infoLibre, Spain
29 June 2023
Катастрофа, ждущая своего часа
Meduza, Russia
27 June 2023
Handel mit russischem Öl auf hoher See: Wenn EU-Sanktionen die Umwelt bedrohen
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
27 June 2023
Sanzioni? Il greggio russo resta un affare per le compagnie Ue
Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy
29 January 2023
Kasakhstansk smutthull: Råolje gikk gjennom Russland til skip forsikret i Norge
E24, Norway
28 January 2023
Europe continues to finance Russia’s war in Ukraine with lucrative fossil fuel trades
EUobserver, Belgium
26 January 2023
Даже после введения эмбарго на российскую нефть европейские танкеры возят ее в ЕС
Meduza, Russia
26 January 2023
Europa nadal finansuje wojnę Rosji – kupując jej paliwa
Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
26 January 2023
Norske selskaper forsikrer fortsatt frakt av russisk olje
E24, Norway
26 January 2023
Europas Öl-Geschäfte finanzieren trotz neuem Embargo den russischen Krieg
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
2 January 2023
Российская ядерная энергетика до сих пор не попадала ни под какие санкции ЕС.
Meduza, Russia
8 October 2022
Deutsche Reedereien transportieren weiter russisches Öl
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
8 October 2022
Trotz Drohungen von Putin: Immer neue Sanktionen gegen Russland – aber warum bleibt die Atomindustrie verschont?
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
7 October 2022
Russia’s €200m nuclear exports untouched by EU sanctions
EUobserver, Belgium
6 October 2022
Her kommer Bergens-skipet med russisk olje. Nå vil Europa stoppe eksporten
Bergens Tidende, Norway
4 October 2022
Armatori greci e assicuratori: la sponda al petrolio di Putin
Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy
2 October 2022
Sanzioni Ue, così l’Italia ha aumentato l’import di greggio
Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy
2 October 2022
Könnten Schiffsversicherer Russlands Ölexporte sofort stoppen?
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
29 September 2022
Empresas europeas se lucran con el transporte de combustibles fósiles rusos pese al anuncio de sanciones
infoLibre, Spain
28 September 2022
Biznes na ropie od Putina
Frontstory, Poland
28 September 2022
Portugal importou gás russo depois do início da guerra na Ucrânia
Público, Portugal
28 September 2022
Europäische Reeder halten Russlands Energieexporte am Laufen
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
28 September 2022
Европейские компании продолжают ввозить российское топливо по морю, хотя топ-менеджеры многих из них осудили войну
Meduza, Russia
28 September 2022
Statki z Europy wspierają handel z Rosją. Biznes na ropie od Putina
Onet, Poland
28 September 2022
Bergensmilliardærens skip har fortsatt å frakte olje fra Russland. – Dypt moralsk problematisk
Bergens Tidende, Norway
28 September 2022
European ships bolster Russian fossil fuel trade despite looming EU sanctions
Reporters United, Greece
28 September 2022
The European shipping giants plying Putin’s fossil-fuels trade
EUobserver, Belgium
28 September 2022