UK extends sanctions against Russian energy and Pakistani oligarch
18 December 2025 22:06
The United Kingdom has imposed a new package of sanctions against the Russian energy sector and Pakistani oil tycoon Murtaza Lakhani. This is stated on the website of the British government, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Five people and 19 companies, including key Russian oil companies and firms associated with Lakhani, are subject to the restrictions.
What happened
The British government announced the expansion of sanctions against Russia in the energy sector. The new list includes:
- russian oil companies Tatneft, Rosneft, Rosneftegaz, and NNK-Oil,
- gelion Business Trade from Uzbekistan,
- pakistani oil tycoon Murtaza Lakhani and his company Mercantile & Maritime Group, which trades in oil and oil products and owns storage terminals in various regions of the world.
The sanctions also applied to several companies associated with Lakhani, in particular in the UAE.
Reasons for the sanctions
According to the British government and Bloomberg, Lakhani was sanctioned for his involvement in the Russian energy sector and for facilitating oil trade. Previously, he actively used London as a business base and had connections in UK political circles.
British sanctions coincide with US plans to introduce a new package of restrictions against the Russian energy sector
The UK’s sanctions coincide with US plans to introduce a new package of restrictions against the Russian energy sector, in particular against the “shadow fleet” of tankers and traders who help Russia sell oil on world markets.
The expansion of sanctions is intended to complicate Russia’s access to international financial and energy markets, as well as to limit the ability of oligarchs and companies to circumvent restrictions. The move increases international pressure on Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
