Cheong Wa Dae denies Ukraine claim that Korea supplied fuel to Russia

Cheong Wa Dae denied in Seoul on Wednesday that Korea supplied fuel to Russia in violation of sanctions, following accusations by a Ukrainian official. Vladyslav Vlasiuk cited a report claiming more than 176,000 tons of fuel were shipped from Korea to Russia via sanctioned tankers in July and August. Seoul said the transactions’ key details remain unverified and is checking the facts. Official trade statistics showed no Korean exports of diesel, gasoline or jet fuel to Russia from August 2025 to August 2026.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk said the alleged shipments accounted for Russia’s fuel shortages amid the war with Ukraine.

Kang Yu-jung said Korea has consistently implemented sanctions and export controls against Russia in cooperation with the international community since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Korean government said it would take necessary action if its fact-checking finds problems.

Fuel is not currently included among the 1,402 items subject to Korea’s export controls concerning Russia.

Published Oct 7, 2026 9:39 pm KST

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Sept. 1. Yonhap

Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday denied accusations by a Ukrainian official that Korea supplied fuel to Russia in spite of its sanctions on Moscow.

The response from presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung came a day after Vladyslav Vlasiuk, an adviser to the Ukrainian president on sanctions policy, cited a story in British newspaper The Guardian that over 176,000 tons of fuel were shipped from Korea to Russia via sanctioned tankers in July and August.

Vlasiuk wrote on his Facebook page that the alleged findings run counter to Korea's sanctions policy toward Russia and accused Seoul of helping offset Russia's fuel shortages amid the war with Ukraine.

"Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, our government has consistently implemented sanctions and export controls against Russia in close cooperation with the international community," Kang said in a written briefing, noting the government had made that position clear in response to The Guardian article.

"That a Ukrainian presidential official cited a Guardian article to publicly portray Korea as helping ease Russia's fuel crisis and loss of refining capabilities and acting in a way that was inconsistent with its existing sanctions policy toward Russia, and did so based on individual transactions for which key details, such as the parties to the transaction, the country of origin and the ultimate purchaser, have not been verified, is different from the truth and inappropriate," she said.

The government is currently verifying the facts and plans to take necessary action in the event any problems are found, Kang added.

"We ask that Ukraine also refrain from distorting the relevant policies of the Republic of Korea without sufficient verification of the facts and making public remarks that can damage international trust (in Korea)," she said.

An official of the presidential National Security Office elaborated that official trade statistics covering the period from August 2025 to August 2026 showed no exports of diesel, gasoline or jet fuel from Korea to Russia.

Moreover, such fuel is currently not included on a list of 1,402 items subject to Korea's export controls with regard to Russia, the official said.

韩国青瓦台周三在首尔否认了韩国违反制裁向俄罗斯供应燃料的说法。此前，一名乌克兰官员提出了这一指控。弗拉迪斯拉夫·弗拉修克援引一份报告称，7月和8月期间，超过17.6万吨燃料通过受制裁的油轮从韩国运往俄罗斯。首尔方面表示，这些交易的关键细节尚未得到证实，目前正在核实相关事实。官方贸易统计数据显示，2025年8月至2026年8月期间，韩国没有向俄罗斯出口柴油、汽油或航空煤油。

乌克兰总统顾问弗拉迪斯拉夫·弗拉修克表示，这些所谓的运输造成了俄罗斯在与乌克兰战争期间的燃料短缺。

康裕贞表示，自俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来，韩国一直与国际社会合作，对俄罗斯实施制裁和出口管制。

韩国政府表示，如果事实核查发现问题，将采取必要措施。

目前，燃料并不在韩国对俄罗斯实施出口管制的1402种商品之列。

发布于2026年10月7日晚上9:39（韩国标准时间）

9月1日，韩国总统府发言人康裕贞在首尔青瓦台举行记者会。（韩联社）

韩国青瓦台周三否认了一名乌克兰官员的指控，即尽管俄罗斯对莫斯科实施制裁，韩国仍向俄罗斯提供燃料。

乌克兰总统发言人康裕贞的回应是在乌克兰总统制裁政策顾问弗拉迪斯拉夫·弗拉修克援引英国《卫报》的一篇报道一天后作出的。该报道称，7 月和 8 月期间，超过 17.6 万吨燃料通过受制裁的油轮从韩国运往俄罗斯。

弗拉修克在他的Facebook页面上写道，这些所谓的调查结果与韩国对俄罗斯的制裁政策相悖，并指责首尔在与乌克兰的战争期间帮助俄罗斯缓解燃料短缺。

康在一份书面简报中表示：“自俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来，我国政府一直与国际社会密切合作，对俄罗斯实施制裁和出口管制。”他还指出，政府已就《卫报》的文章明确表达了这一立场。

“一位乌克兰总统官员引用《卫报》的一篇文章，公开将韩国描绘成帮助俄罗斯缓解燃料危机和炼油能力下降，其行为与乌克兰现有的对俄制裁政策不符，而且这种说法是基于个别交易，而这些交易的关键细节，例如交易双方、原产国和最终购买者，都未经核实，这与事实不符，是不恰当的，”她说。

康补充说，政府目前正在核实事实，如果发现任何问题，将采取必要行动。

她表示：“我们要求乌克兰不要在未充分核实事实的情况下歪曲韩国的相关政策，也不要发表可能损害国际社会对韩国信任的公开言论。”

总统国家安全办公室的一名官员详细解释说，官方贸易统计数据显示，从 2025 年 8 月到 2026 年 8 月期间，韩国没有向俄罗斯出口柴油、汽油或航空燃油。

此外，该官员表示，此类燃料目前并未列入韩国对俄罗斯实施出口管制的1402项商品清单中。