By Tony O’Reilly-
The UK imported no fuel from Russia for the first time on record in June, as the government achieved its ambition to phase out all purchases of natural gas and oil in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
Figures, released by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday, revealed fuel imports from Russia, which averaged £499 million a month in the year through February, fell to zero for the first time in data going back to 1997. The Uk had previously imported 4.9 % of its gas from Russia, but has now cut all ties completely.
The EU has also said it will cut gas imports from Russia by two-thirds within a year and has also agreed to ban all Russian oil imports which come in by sea by the end of the year.
All member states have agreed to cut gas usage by 15% over the next seven months.
Russia was the UK’s largest supplier of refined oil, prior to the invasion of Ukraine, the ONS said. The nation accounted for 24.1% of all imports of that commodity. It also supplied 5.9% of the UK’s crude oil imports, and 4.9% of the gas imports.
Imports of goods from Russia also fell to £33m in June, the lowest level since records began in January 1997, the Office for National Statics (ONS) said.
Western nations have imposed strict sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February.
The UK has pledged to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year and gas imports as soon as possible.
Fuel imports from Russia fell by £499m – or 100% – compared with the average for the previous 12 months to February.
In 2021, the UK imported around 4% of its gas from Russia, and 11% of its oil, according to the International Energy Agency.
Exports of most goods to Russia had also decreased substantially by June, with machinery and transport equipment sales slashed by 91.3% to £118m.
Overall exports to Russia dropped by almost 70%, to £168m, compared with the monthly average in the 12 months to February.
But “as a result of the UK government’s ambition to phase out imports of Russian oil and gas, there were no imports of refined oil, crude oil, gas or coal, coke and briquettes from Russia by June 2022,” the ONS said. “This has prompted importers to seek alternatives. There have been increases in imports of refined oil from Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Kuwait in recent months; partially compensating for reduced imports from Russia.”
Total imports of goods from Russia totalled £33 million in June, down about 97% from the average in the year before the invasion.