Ukraine confirms sanctioned Russian tankers shipped 176,000 tons of fuel from South Korean ports

Kyiv has raised the issue directly with Seoul through diplomatic channels and asked the South Korean side for an explanation, Tykhyi told hromadske.

Ukraine has its own information confirming the activity, he said, in addition to reports previously published in the media.

In July and August alone, sanctioned vessels carried 176,000 metric tons of fuel - mostly diesel - from South Korean ports to Russia amid Russian fuel shortages. Only India supplied more during that period, according to previously reported data.

The shipments do not violate South Korean law, as Seoul's export controls cover technology, industrial equipment and electronics rather than fuel.