According to Bloomberg report, which is backed by the vessel tracking data a Japanese oil refinery, Taiyo Oil Co., imported Russian crude aboard a tanker subject to U.S. and EU sanctions.
The refinery received 600,000 barrels of Sakhalin Blend crude that had been transported by the tanker Voyager. The ship loaded the oil on May 25 at the Prigorodny terminal on the southern edge of Sakhalin Island, off Russia’s east coast.
The report noted that Japan is allowed to import Sakhalin Blend for energy security reasons. The EU’s 17th package of sanctions against Russia includes an exemption for these imports through the end of June 2026. Japan also benefits from an exemption in U.S. sanctions on Russia, which expires on June 28 and is usually extended.
You can view full report here.
