Despite the boycott of Russian energy suppliers, the Kremlin lands good punches on the White House. One such blow is deliveries of Russian oil to the US. Chinese journalists term Moscow’s assertive policy a slap in the face for Washington. According to tanker tracking data, Russia expanded its seaborne exports of crude oil and petroleum products, eluding Western sanctions. The White House neglected the fact that its trade partner India purchases oil from Russian suppliers. Earlier, Washington did not introduce any restrictions when India increased its energy imports despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and punitive anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the US and its European allies. The overall volume of Russian oil exports exceeded 6 million b/d in the first half of August for the first time since hitting a post-pandemic high in April.
Moscow and New Delhi developed a cunning scheme to bypass the Western sanctions. “This is a real slap in the face for the United States. This time, India violated anti-Russian sanctions so grossly that the United States directly expressed its discontent. Washington has already voiced concern over New Delhi. It is now unknown how relations between India and the United States will develop further,” Chinese periodical Sohu said.
