Today, Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand, along with 40 Ukrainian and international civil society organisations, issued an open letter urging the European Union and the United Kingdom to impose coordinated sanctions on all 15 Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers transporting Russian gas from the Yamal LNG project.
The letter warns that Russia’s Arctic LNG strategy remains a pillar of the Kremlin’s war economy and a growing threat to European and global security. Despite nearly four years of full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian Arctic LNG exports continue largely unimpeded, made possible only through the operation of the highly specialised Arc7 tanker fleet.
Dr Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said: “Russia’s Arctic LNG exports have become one of the most resilient revenue streams sustaining the Kremlin’s war machine. Every Arc7 tanker that sails from Yamal’s project carries not only liquefied gas, but the financial fuel for Russia’s ongoing aggression, war crimes, and ecological devastation.
These ships are Russia’s weakest point: without Western-built Arc7 carriers, the entire Arctic LNG strategy collapses. Europe and the UK have both the moral responsibility and the geopolitical leverage to shut down this trade. Sanctioning the Arc7 fleet would be one of the most potent steps these governments can take today to weaken Russia’s war economy, protect European security, and safeguard the fragile Arctic from irreversible destruction. The time for decisive action is now.”
Sebastian Rötters, Energy and Sanctions Campaigner at urgewald, said:
“These 15 Arc7 tankers are the backbone of Putin’s Arctic war economy. Europe owns 11 of them. Sanction this fleet now and you cut off billions in revenues that fuel Russia’s assault on Ukraine and underpin its entire Arctic expansion. So far, Russia cannot build these ships itself. Without them, Yamal LNG cannot operate year-round.
Europe has the legal power, the economic leverage, and the moral responsibility to act. Every day of inaction means more money for the Kremlin’s war machine and deeper, irreversible damage to the Arctic.”
Nezir Sinani, Executive Director of the B4Ukraine Coalition, said:
“European Commission President warns that Russia is waging a hybrid war against Europe. German Chancellor warns: “We are not yet at war, but we are no longer at peace.” These stark alerts demand urgent and decisive action.
Russia’s Arctic LNG exports remain one of the last major financial arteries sustaining Russia’s war machine. Cutting off this revenue is likely the most direct, non-military way to curb Russia’s capacity to wage war and destabilize Europe. History will judge the courage of this decision.”
Between 2022 and 2024 alone, Yamal LNG is estimated to have paid EUR 8 billion in taxes to the Kremlin. This money is directly used to fund missiles, drones, and artillery tearing through Ukrainian cities.
These ships are Russia’s critical choke point. Without them, the year-round operation of the Yamal and Arctic LNG-2 gas export facilities becomes impossible. Russia has failed to domestically reproduce Arc7 LNG tankers; the first Russian-built vessel, Alexey Kosygin, has not progressed beyond test runs. Effective sanctions on the existing fleet would therefore halt Russia’s ability to scale Arctic LNG exports for years.
In light of Ukraine’s drastic energy situation and Russia’s increasing hybrid attacks on the EU, decisive action on Russian LNG exports, where the EU and UK have considerable leverage, would send a strong and vital signal to Moscow.
The letter emphasises that further expansion of Arctic LNG infrastructure risks locking in catastrophic climate impacts, undermining global mitigation efforts and Europe’s own long-term security.
The signatories urge the EU and UK to take four decisive steps:
- Prohibit transporting Russian gas for shipping companies based in the EU and UK, denying entry into EU/UK ports and territorial waters for ships carrying Russian LNG, including transit and ship-to-ship operations. Require disclosure of cargo origin, destination, and ownership for any LNG cargoes serviced to prevent circumvention, laundering or relabeling of Russian gas outside Europe.
- Ban the provision of all maritime services — including insurance, classification, flagging, bunkering, crewing, repairs, and technical support — to any vessels transporting Russian LNG.
- Introduce due diligence controls to prevent transfer of ownership of Arc7 tankers to opaque or high-risk entities seeking to operate in Russia’s LNG shadow fleet.
- Apply secondary sanctions or penalties to EU/UK-based companies and individuals that continue to facilitate Russian Arctic LNG transport in violation of European and UK security interests.
The organisations note that six Arc7 ships are owned by the UK-based Seapeak and five by Greece’s Dynagas, meaning European jurisdictions have substantial leverage to curb Russia’s Arctic LNG trade.
