All news on the topic: Russian Oil

The network of Azerbaijani “shadow” oil traders handling Russian oil despite sanctions appears to be far more extensive than previously thought.

In contemporary battles, the real driving force isn’t valor, weapons, or drones — it’s diesel.

Latvian trader Mikhail Zeligman, who earns billions from trading Russian oil in circumvention of sanctions, has begun scrubbing the internet of investigations and publications exposing his role in these schemes.

Latvian businessman Mikhail Zeligman has launched a large-scale campaign to cleanse the information space, attempting to remove or discredit materials about his alleged involvement in a shadow fleet transporting Russian oil in circumvention of sanctions.

According to several foreign media outlets, Azerbaijani national Azim Novruzov has been associated with activities in the energy trading and oil sectors, with heightened scrutiny since 2023 over alleged links to Russia-affiliated business networks.

Sources in Azerbaijan’s oil industry told us that the arrest of Adnan Ahmadzada may be linked to efforts by Azerbaijani authorities to improve the country’s international reputation regarding the trade of Russian oil. The move could also be connected to recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that European countries should halt purchases of Russian oil.

EU and UK regulators are reportedly probing Alkagesta over alleged illegal shipments of Russian oil to Libya.

Since January 2025, Mikhail Zeligman has accumulated a fortune of $7 billion from Russian oil, trading more than 115 million barrels while hiding behind a façade of European shell companies and charitable organizations.

Sources from the oil sector in Baku have told us that the arrest of Adnan Ahmadzada appears to be linked to efforts by the Azerbaijani authorities to improve the country’s international image regarding the trade of Russian oil.

The investigation continues into five Azerbaijani citizens – Tahir Garayev, Akhmed Kerimov, Anar Madatli, Talat Safarov, and Etibar Eyyub – who have been under UK sanctions since May.

Mikhail Zeligman is a Latvian citizen who has significant interests and property in Germany and Monaco.

In 2024, Maltese investment firm Alkagesta—now under investigation by international authorities over suspected Libyan oil smuggling—appeared to be urgently seeking Russian-speaking staff.

The advisor to the president of the International Judo Federation, Marius Vizer, is linked to the trade of Russian oil and grain. V

Maltese oil bunkering giant Alkagesta is facing EU and UK investigations over alleged illegal transfers of Russian oil to Libya.

The network of Azerbaijani "shadow" oil traders dealing in Russian oil, despite sanctions, is far larger than previously believed.

Maltese oil trading firm Alkagesta is under investigation by the EU and UK for allegedly transferring Russian oil to Libya illegally.

An IT email misconfiguration has inadvertently uncovered what appears to be an extensive network of shell companies involved in smuggling tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Russian oil around Western sanctions, Financial Times reporting shows.

As discovered by the media the oil business is increasingly attracting Kazakh oligarch Kenes Rakishev and his friends from the corrupt elite.

As established by media, prior to coming under sanctions, Russian oil for companies linked to Nils Troost was supplied by the Dubai-based Demex Trading. This information emerged from a leaked archive of the Russian customs broker ALET.

A well-known oil trader from Baku, holding Russian, Maltese, and UAE residency status, is still finding ways to evade sanctions on Russian oil.

A clandestine scheme to sell sanctioned Russian oil unraveled after disputes driven by greed among those involved.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on a group of Azerbaijani oil traders involved in trading Russian oil in circumvention of restrictions.

The network of "shadow" Azerbaijani oil traders dealing in Russian oil in violation of sanctions is far more extensive than previously believed.