UK MoD warns fuel suppliers 'contracts would be cut' if found shipping oil from Russia

Amid the ongoing war and the EU's plan to minimise dependency on Russian energy sources, UK Defence chiefs have warned fuel suppliers of cut off their contracts if they were caught importing fuel from Russia. According to a report by The Telegraph, the statement from the Defence chiefs came after the issue of British military supply chains was raised.

Citing the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Telegraph reported the officials warned taking "immediate action" if they (oil suppliers) were found diverting Russian oil to the UK. It warned to switch suppliers if they were found to be using Russian products in the supplies provided to British defence. 

As per the report, the UK Defence purchases fuel from a range of suppliers, including jet fuel from Motor Oil Hellas. It had signed a new £10m contract in May this year for fuel supply to Cyprus. In November 2017, it signed another "indirect" contract for five years with Rosneft - a Russian integrated energy company. It is to be mentioned here the original contract was signed between UK Defence Ministry and Motor Oil, however, reports suggest the company has been using Rosneft for the supply of fuels to UK MoD.

"It had been assured the products we procure from Motor Oil Hellas are not sourced from Russian suppliers. If oil products supplied to the MoD are found to come from Russian suppliers, we will take immediate action to switch to alternate suppliers," the Telegraph quoted a Defence Ministry spokesperson as saying. 

UK pledges to minimise dependence on Russian oil by this year 

Though the United Kingdom has not banned Russian oil, UK's Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, in a statement released on March 8, said that the country will phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of the year in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said that the phasing out of imports will not be immediate but would instead allow the UK more than enough time to adjust supply chains, supporting industry and consumers. "The government will work with companies through a new Taskforce on Oil to support them to make use of this period in finding alternative supplies, he said. 

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