Overview
- OFAC, which delisted the ships Tuesday, removed Fesco Moneron, Fesco Magadan, and Sv Nikolay from its Specially Designated Nationals list.
- A Treasury spokesperson said the step does not signal a change in U.S. policy and followed a thorough review under standard procedures.
- Ukraine’s defense intelligence reports that Sv Nikolay moved stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian ports to Türkiye, and prior reporting linked the Fesco vessels to military or dual-use cargo.
- The move lands during a wider fight over sanctions, with recent U.S. easing of oil measures to steady energy markets drawing bipartisan criticism and an EU package held up by Hungary.
- Delisting restores access to ports and maritime services for the ships, and a former U.S. sanctions official told RFE/RL that banks tied to their past owners remain under U.S. sanctions.