South Korea denies Ukrainian report that it eased Russia's fuel crisis

South Korea's presidential office on Wednesday dismissed a Ukrainian ‌report that Russia has imported petroleum products from South Korean ports, calling the accusation inappropriate.

Ukraine's top sanctions official, ‌Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said on Tuesday the shipments had ‌eased the impact of a fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. His comment followed a ⁠report ​by the ⁠Guardian newspaper saying that port records and ship-tracking data showed ⁠that fuel had been loaded at South Korean ports ​onto seven tankers, including vessels under British and ⁠EU sanctions.

The presidential office said South Korea had "consistently enforced sanctions ⁠and ​export controls against Russia in close coordination with the international community," since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. It ⁠added that Seoul was examining the facts and ⁠checking for any ⁠export control issues, and would take necessary measures if any problems were confirmed.