In May, Russian oil companies may suspend crude deliveries to Belarus’ Navapolatsk refinery Naftan amid U.S. sanctions that ban all relations with the refinery by June 3. Four industry sources told Reuters.
The three sources said that the main suppliers of raw materials to the Belneftekhim-owned refinery, Rosneft and Surgutneftegaz, are not yet planning to sell oil to the refinery next month because they fear being hit by secondary sanctions.
The U.S. has been imposing sanctions against Belarusian state-owned companies and officials in several stages since 2006 for human rights violations. Since 2015, the U.S. has granted sanctioned companies a license to operate, renewed annually.
Since April 19 of this year, the U.S. replaced the current 2G license with a 2H license, under which counterparties to any of the sanctioned nine companies, including Belneftekhim and the Naftan refinery, are advised to complete any transactions with them by June 3.
In addition to Belneftekhim and Naftan, the list also includes Belarusian Oil Trading House, Belshina, Hrodna Azot, Hrodna Khimvalakno, Lakokraska, and Polatsk-Steklavalakno.
The U.S. sanctions have been renewed due to the systematic violations of human rights in Belarus. The U.S. calls on Lukashenka’s regime to immediately release all political prisoners.
