Iran Supplied Weapons to Russia Through European Ports
Iranian cargo vessels conducted espionage on behalf of Yemen’s Houthis and participated in transporting weapons and weapon components to Syria and Russia, according to Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. The vessels concealed their arms shipments under the cover of legitimate commercial cargoes shipped to European ports.
Shipping data analysis reveals that between June 2022 and October 2024, six Iranian cargo ships made at least 27 port calls to Latakia, Syria, during voyages between Iran and Antwerp. Additionally, container ships Azargoun and Artam docked at the port of Novorossiysk in January and February 2023, while the vessel Shiba was likely involved in providing the Houthis with coordinates of international vessels.
Votkinsk Plant Left Without CNC Milling Machine
The Votkinsk Plant, a manufacturer of Topol-M missiles, planned to procure a five-axis CNC milling machine worth 230 million rubles equipped with a Siemens control system. The supply contract was signed back in May 2023. However, the intermediary, Ural Machine Tool Company, later proposed canceling the agreement due to delivery issues caused by adverse geopolitical conditions and international sanctions.
Forged Insurance Certificates for Russian Tankers
At least 76 Russian oil tankers circumvented international sanctions by using forged insurance certificates. The scheme, involving a private company, provided falsified documents allowing tankers to transit freely in NATO territorial waters, according to an investigation by Danwatch.
EU Launches Sanctions Helpdesk
The European Commission has launched the EU Sanctions Helpdesk—a free service offering personalized sanctions compliance support to European small and medium-sized enterprises. Companies receive assistance in conducting due diligence checks and mitigating risks related to potential sanctions breaches. The EU currently administers over 40 global sanctions regimes.
US Sanctions Chinese Refinery
The Trump administration imposed sanctions for the first time on a Chinese oil refinery for purchasing sanctioned Iranian crude oil. On March 20, the U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co.
This action could indirectly affect Russian oil supplies, as Shandong province is a refining hub for Chinese firms that previously relied heavily on Russian crude.
Sanctions Against Russians Supporting Houthis
The United States added four Russian individuals, three entities, and one cargo ship to its sanctions lists. At the same time, Karina Rotenberg—the wife of Boris Rotenberg—was removed from the sanctions list.
Among those sanctioned were Russian sailors Yuriy Belyakov and Vyacheslav Vidanov. According to Ukrainian authorities, they were captains of the vessel Zafar, involved in transporting stolen Ukrainian grain from Crimea. These Russians were sanctioned due to their involvement in helping Yemen’s Houthis procure weapons.
US Senators Push for Tougher Sanctions on Russia
A bipartisan group of 50 U.S. senators called for tougher sanctions against Russia. According to Bloomberg, lawmakers are considering additional measures, including imposing import tariffs of up to 500% on goods from countries continuing to purchase Russian energy.
More news is available in the Monitoring of the Russian Information Landscape by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine attached below.
