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“The Russians use the so-called ghost fleet to transport oil. It should be subject to a special tax in the Danish Straits,” urges Garry Kasparov, a chess master and Russian oppositionist in exile, in an interview with BiznesAlert.pl.
- “Ukraine has found an effective tool to strike at the Russian war machine. Reuters reports that oil production in Russia fell by 7 percent. I saw 12 percent estimates,” Kasparov told BiznesAlert.pl.
- “The ability of Vladimir Putin’s regime to wage war despite sanctions should not be underestimated,” he warned.
- “60 percent of Russia’s hydrocarbon exports reach the world through the northern route and the Baltic Sea, and then the Danish Straits. It is possible to introduce a special fee for ships supplying Russian fossil fuels via this route,” postulates Garri Kasparov.
BiznesAlert.pl: What do you think of the Financial Times’ unconfirmed reports that the US is calling on Ukraine to stop attacking Russian refineries?
Garry Kasparov: I believe they are not necessarily unconfirmed, as they would be denied otherwise. Everything the American administration does is aimed at avoiding confrontation and endless negotiations with the Kremlin. Ukraine has found an effective tool to strike at the Russian war machine. Reuters reports that oil production in Russia fell by 7 percent. I’ve seen data talking about 12 percent. These numbers will grow and when they reach a critical mass, they can threaten Russia’s military operation, as well as cause a price shock on the domestic market. It is almost impossible to defend refineries. They are easy targets. All it takes is a drone, and Ukrainians have well recognized this vulnerability by investing in the quantity and quality of these devices. There is hope that these actions will harm Putin’s war machine.
Will they slow it down?
Of course not. They will cause significant losses. The ability of Vladimir Putin’s regime to wage war despite sanctions should not be underestimated.
One can suspect that the Ukrainians are reaching for more forceful solutions because they feel that sanctions are not working.
If anyone really wants to undermine Putin’s efforts, they have to hit right at the heart of the energy sector. In order to destroy the Kremlin’s war machine, it is necessary to combine military and economic efforts. There is no such strategy in the West.
Are you suggesting a full embargo on hydrocarbons from Russia?
There are simpler solutions. 60 percent of Russia’s hydrocarbon exports reach the world through the northern route and the Baltic Sea, and then the Danish Straits. A special fee may be imposed on ships carrying Russian fossil fuels via this route. The Russians use the so-called ghost fleet to transport oil. They should be subject to a special tax in the Danish Straits. This would be done if someone really wanted to defeat the regime in the Kremlin.
Does that mean someone doesn’t want to?
Clearly the answer is yes. The Americans never said that Ukraine should win the war. The free world is still not sure it wants Ukraine to win, Russia to lose, and the Putin regime to fall.
Interview by Wojciech Jakóbik
