US Treasury issues General License 134B easing Russian oil sanctions for cargoes already at sea until 16 May, drawing sharp condemnation from Senate Democrats.
France will not tolerate sanctions violations, President Emmanuel Macron declared on 22 Jan. after French naval forces boarded an oil tanker from Russia suspected of operating under a false flag in the Mediterranean.
Ukrainian drone strikes on major Russian refineries triggered a sharp decline in Moscow's fuel production capacity throughout 2025, forcing unplanned shutdowns at facilities processing millions of tons of oil annually.