North Korean tankers collect oil products at Russia's Vostochny port, FT and RUSI find

At least five North Korean-flagged oil products tankers travelled to Vostochny port in Russia's Far East in March to collect oil products, according to research by the Financial Times and RUSI reported by Polish Radio. The shipments began on 7 March, which the report describes as the first documented direct seaborne deliveries from Russia since the UN Security Council imposed strict oil caps in 2017. One vessel, the Paek Yang San 1, had previously carried out illicit ship-to-ship oil transfers. RUSI researchers estimated deliveries could exceed 125,000 barrels, a quarter of the permitted annual quota, within weeks. RUSI says the deliveries follow North Korean munitions supplies to Russia.

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