The United States increased crude oil supplies from Russia by 43 percent, or 100,000 barrels per day, over the past week, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Mikhail Popov reported Sunday.
“The US forced the Europeans to impose sanctions against Russia, while they themselves not only continue to import oil from Russia but also increased the volume of supplies of the black gold by 43 percent over the past week, to 100,000 barrels per day!” said Popov in an interview with the Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.
According to the deputy secretary of the Security Council, Europe should expect similar “surprises” from the US.
He also stressed that “Washington does not allow Europeans to take similar measures for the time being.”
“Moreover, Washington allowed its companies to export mineral fertilizers from Russia, recognizing them as essential goods,” Popov added.
Numerous countries began tightening sanctions against Russia after Putin recognized the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics as sovereign states on February 21. Three days later, he launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine, claiming that both republics requested help in the face of Kiev’s aggression.
The United States and Europe condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine and activated several batteries of individual and sectoral sanctions aimed at inflicting the most significant possible damage to the Russian economy in an attempt to pressure Moscow to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory.
