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More sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine crisis
BRUSSELS/MOSCOW – The European Union announced asset freezes and travel bans on 15 Russians and Ukrainians over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, but the measures were seen as less aggressive than sanctions imposed this week by the United States.
In Ukraine’s eastern city of Luhansk, hundreds of pro-Russian separatists stormed the regional government headquarters, unopposed by police, and the Ukrainian government said it had information that they also planned to seize the local television center.
The EU list published on Tuesday included senior Russian politicians but did not extend to companies, several of which were singled out by Washington when it extended its sanctions list on Monday.
Moscow immediately denounced the new EU measures, saying the Europeans were simply doing Washington’s bidding and should be ashamed of themselves. A senior Russian politician said Moscow was working on measures to counter the new sanctions.
But while Russian stock markets rallied after the announcement of less stringent EU sanctions than were expected, there were increasing signs that the Ukraine crisis was having an effect on key parts of the Russian economy.
Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom said further sanctions could disrupt gas sales to Europe and hit its business, while a Russian minister said U.S. restrictions on high-tech exports to Russia would be a blow to Russian companies in the sector.
The International Monetary Fund said it was preparing to cut its forecasts for Russian growth for the second time in less than a month. U.S. credit card firm Visa said it would suspend network services to two Russian banks sanctioned on Monday by the United States.
Those targeted by the EU included Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak, Ludmila Shvetsova, a deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russia’s armed forces, as well as separatist leaders in Ukraine.
But the list did not include the heads of Russian energy giants such as Rosneft’s Igor Sechin, who had been included in the latest U.S. sanctions.
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
The decision brings to 48 the number of people that the EU has put under sanctions for actions it says have undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Russia annexed the Crimea region after Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president was ousted in February by protesters demanding closer links with Europe. Kiev and the West accuse Russia of stirring up a separatist campaign in the east, a charge Moscow denies.
On Monday, the United States imposed sanctions on seven Russians and 17 companies linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The United States has been more aggressive in the penalties it has imposed on Russia than has the European Union, which depends heavily on Russia for energy and has close trading links.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the EU sanctions would not ease tensions in Ukraine, where the Kiev government is struggling to rein in pro-Russian separatists.
“Instead of forcing the Kiev clique to sit at the table with southeastern Ukraine to negotiate the future structure of the country, our partners are doing Washington’s bidding with new unfriendly gestures aimed at Russia,” the ministry said.
Despite a Ukrainian military operation to contain them, pro-Russian militants have seized public buildings in about a dozen towns and cities in Russian-speaking eastern and southeastern regions of Ukraine.
The separatists’ actions have led to accusations in the West and in Kiev that Russia is planning to annex those areas as it did with the Crimean peninsula.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denied that on Tuesday, telling a Russian news website that Moscow was “not at all inclined to repeat the so-called Crimea scenario in southeastern Ukraine”.
Russian has massed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine. A NATO official said on Tuesday the alliance had seen no sign that they were withdrawing, despite a Russian statement that the troops had returned to their permanent positions.
SANCTIONS EFFECT
Western countries say sanctions are already having an effect on Russia by scaring investors into pulling out capital. The central bank has raised interest rates to support the ruble, and Russian firms are finding it harder to raise funds.
Gazprom, headed by Alexei Miller, an ally of Putin, and its managers have not been hit by U.S. or EU sanctions.
But the company, which meets a sizeable amount of Europe’s demand for gas, said a pricing row with the new government in Kiev could potentially lead to a disruption of its gas exports to the rest of Europe through pipelines crossing Ukraine.
“An expansion of the U.S., EU and other sanctions programs could adversely impact operations and the financial condition of the Gazprom Group,” it said in a report following publication of its 2013 financial results.
Long seen as a tool of Russian foreign policy, Gazprom has threatened to cut supplies to Ukraine over an unpaid gas bill it puts at more than $2 billion and warned this could lead to reduced deliveries to clients in Europe.
MILITARY OBSERVERS
In eastern Ukraine, the self-declared mayor of a separatist-held town said he would discuss the release of detained military observers only if the EU dropped sanctions against rebel leaders.
Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the de facto mayor of Slaviansk, told Interfax news agency the imposition of visa bans and asset freezes against Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-styled People’s Republic of Donetsk, and Andrei Purgin, another leader in the eastern region, “was not conducive to dialogue”.
The six observers were in Ukraine under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a democracy watchdog. They were detained last week after separatists said they had found a Ukrainian spy with them.
The mayor of eastern Ukraine’s biggest city was in a stable condition on Tuesday in a hospital in Israel, where he was flown after an assassination attempt.
Gennady Kernes, one of Ukraine’s most prominent Jewish politicians, was shot in the back on Monday in Kharkiv, and underwent surgery in Ukraine on Monday. Officials had said his injuries were life-threatening.
– REUTERS
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has declared 31 companies as winners of 37 oil and gas blocks under the 2025 Licensing Round.
This followed the successful conclusion of the commercial bid conference on Tuesday in Abuja, despite what the commission described as sustained threats and pressure mounted against members of its evaluation team before the conclusion of the exercise.
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The conference marked the end of an eight-month licensing process, with the winning firms now required to pay their signature bonuses and satisfy other post-award conditions within 90 days or risk forfeiting the assets to reserve bidders.
After the commercial bid conference in Abuja, the Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed that officials involved in evaluating the bids faced repeated intimidation throughout the process but refused to compromise the integrity of the exercise.
She said the threats persisted until the eve of the commercial bid opening. Eyesan said, “It has been a journey… If you have been told anything contrary to the fact that this process was going to be credible and transparent, do not believe it.”
Commending members of the evaluation committee, she added, “The evaluators have worked tirelessly since June 12. They have been inundated with calls and with threats, serious threats, but they stood their ground. Up until yesterday, we were still threatened, but we stood our ground to say that the times have changed. Nigeria is really open for business.”
She said President Bola Tinubu had mandated the commission to ensure a credible process and thanked the evaluators and observers from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for supporting the exercise.
The commission announced that 31 companies emerged successful after 143 companies submitted about 200 bids for 37 oil and gas blocks out of the 50 assets offered during the licensing round.
The successful companies include SSonic Petroleum Limited, CFP Pipeline and Flowlines, Dutchford E&P Limited, Attabanson Global Company Limited, Rosem Energy Limited, Pivot-GIS Limited, Network E&P, Asharami, LexOil, BVOF, Gupsco Energy Limited, Saratoga, Volante, Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited, Clinton Oil Field, Nuway Oaklane Limited, Ramec Italia.
Others are Blueridge E&P, Up Energies Limited, AYM Shafa, Blackrock Holdings Limited, Funtay Integrated Business Limited, Riparian Development and Production Limited, Nikstallis, Stardeep Petroleum, Dakoda & U Limited, Southborne Oil and Gas Limited, Lanaka Petroleum, Highban Resources Limited and Eyre Energy Limited.
The commission explained that the successful companies had emerged only as preferred bidders and would receive Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPL) after meeting all statutory conditions under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Eyesan urged the winners to immediately commence the post-award process. She said, “These firms will only be presented final awards after the payment of the appropriate signature bonus and the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.”
She warned that failure to fulfil the post-award conditions within 90 days would invalidate the awards, allowing the commission to invite reserve bidders.
The commission explained that the commercial bid process was designed to eliminate human interference through an automated weighted scoring system. Officials said technical evaluations had been completed before the commercial bids were opened publicly, while no one, including members of the evaluation team, had prior access to the commercial bids.
“The weighted score is 40 per cent. All these things are automated. The computer calculates everything. Nobody is using a pen to write any figures. This demonstrates the transparent, efficient and robust process built into this licensing round,” the commission stated.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, has launched a specialised 12-month capacity development programme to prepare 300 young Nigerian graduates for careers in the nation’s oil and gas industry
The NCDMB–Renaissance Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Programme will provide participants with industry-relevant expertise in mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering, combining three months of intensive classroom instruction with nine months of structured on-the-job training at partner oil and gas service companies.
The programme has enrolled 300 beneficiaries, comprising 240 trainees in Lagos and 60 in Port Harcourt.
During the inauguration of the programme, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the initiative underscores the Board’s commitment to developing indigenous technical capacity, increasing Nigerian participation in the petroleum industry and supporting the country’s economic growth.
Represented by the Board’s Assistant Manager, Human Capacity Development, Tari Bufazi, Ogbe said the training would equip participants with practical experience and internationally recognised certifications needed to compete in the global energy industry.
“This is more than the commencement of a training programme. It is the beginning of a journey for young Nigerians who will acquire world-class skills in mechanical, instrumentation and electrical disciplines,” he said.
According to him, specialised competencies in automation, instrumentation and engineering operations have become increasingly critical as Nigeria prepares for a new wave of investments in the oil and gas sector.
“Instrumentation, electrical and mechanical engineering are foundational to the survival, profitability and safety of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. This training is designed to close existing gaps and prepare participants for industry demands,” he added.
Ogbe urged the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity to develop themselves into innovators, problem-solvers and future leaders capable of driving the industry’s growth.
In the same vein, the General Manager, Nigerian Content Development at Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Olarenwaju Lanre Olawuyi, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to building indigenous capabilities through sustained investments in human capital.
Represented by Funso Alabi, Olawuyi said the programme was deliberately structured to expose participants to both classroom learning and practical field experience across mechanical systems, electrical operations, instrumentation and control, software development, networking and cybersecurity.
He noted that the practical component would bridge the gap between academic knowledge and workplace expectations, enabling participants to acquire competencies increasingly sought after by employers.
“At Renaissance, we believe local content development must create real capability, strengthen indigenous expertise and empower Nigerians to lead,” he said.
He also reminded the trainees that technical competence alone would not guarantee success, stressing that professionalism, integrity, teamwork and a strong safety culture remain essential qualities in the oil and gas industry.
The Chief Executive Officer of Radial Circle, the programme’s lead training provider, Ranti Omole, disclosed that the beneficiaries emerged from a highly competitive selection process involving thousands of applicants drawn from the NCDMB database.
He said the objective of the initiative extends beyond issuing certificates, noting that the programme is designed to produce industry-ready professionals capable of making immediate contributions in operational environments.
“We are building competence and skills. By the time you complete this programme, you should be field-ready and able to fit seamlessly into industry operations,” Omole said.
He encouraged participants to remain disciplined, embrace continuous learning and leverage the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from different parts of the country.
The operational successes of the Nigerian Navy’s sustained offensive against oil theft, illegal refining, pipeline vandalism, and militancy in the second quarter of 2026 have aided Nigeria’s crude oil production to reach 1,735 million barrels per day in June.
Recall that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced that the 1.735 million barrels per day represented 104 per cent of Nigeria’s Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota.
However, the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, in a statement over the weekend, in Abuja, noted that the feat was the highest crude oil output recorded since April 2020.
According to Folorunsho, the offensive against crude oil theft, illegal refining, pipeline vandalism, militancy, and other forms of economic sabotage in the Niger Delta under Operation DELTA SENTINEL was intensified to consolidate first-quarter gains.
“Since April 2026, the Nigerian Navy has conducted over 580 intelligence-driven operations across Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, and Lagos State.
“These operations have resulted in the recovery of over 4.7 million litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, as well as the arrest of over 91 suspects involved in crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, militancy and related crimes.
“It also led to the dismantling of over 48 illegal refining sites, interception of multiple vessels engaged in crude oil theft, and the destruction of criminal logistics networks supporting economic sabotage.”
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Folorunsho said that one of the major operational successes recorded was the arrest of the motor tankers – MKPODU, WESTAF, and STELIOS K, which were linked to the theft of more than 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil.
He said it resulted in the recovery of over 708,000 litres of illegally refined products and 310,000 litres of stolen crude oil from a single illegal refining site in Ndoni, Rivers.
“It also facilitated numerous intelligence-led operations that dismantled reactivated refining sites, intercepted illicit fuel consignments and prevented criminal syndicates from restoring illegal production capacity across the Niger Delta,” he said.
According to him, coordinated riverine operations led to the deactivation of scores of illegal refining sites, reservoirs, dugout pits, storage facilities, warehouses, concealed fuel caches, pipeline connections and militant hideouts.
The director of naval information also said that the operations exposed a growing trend of criminal syndicates attempting to reactivate previously dismantled refining camps, prompting sustained follow-up operations.
He said the follow-ups prevented the regeneration of illegal refining ecosystems and progressively disrupted the economic viability of crude oil theft networks.
“The Nigerian Navy notes that these sustained operational gains coincide with the recent announcement by the NUPRC of increased crude oil production, exceeding the OPEC production quota.
“This indicates improved security around critical oil and gas infrastructure and the collective efforts of security agencies in fighting crude oil theft.
“Persistent naval presence across the Niger Delta waterways has denied economic saboteurs the freedom of action, disrupted illicit petroleum supply chains, and enhanced the integrity of critical oil and gas infrastructure,” he said.
The naval spokesperson reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain, protecting vital national assets, and enhancing oil production to support the Federal Government’s goal of reaching 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.
He added that the service would continue to conduct intelligence-led operations and strengthen inter-agency cooperation to further degrade oil theft networks within the Nigerian maritime environment in line with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
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