Oboronlogistics

Oboronlogistics (Russian: Оборонлогистика, romanized: oboronlogistika, lit. 'defense logistics') is a shipping and logistics state corporation owned by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The company was founded in 2011.[1] Its name is a shortened form of the Russian language Obshchestvo s ogranichennoi otvetsvennostyu oboronlogistika; literally "limited liability company defense logistics".

Oboronlogistics was placed on the US Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List in June 2017 in connection with the 2014 annexation of Crimea and is therefore excluded from US trade.[2][3]

Oboronlogistics had a special procedure for import and export for the port of Novorossiysk in 2018, which allowed it to conduct better trade[according to whom?] in the Mediterranean region.[4]

In 2019, the Oboronlogistics vessel Sparta III made a successful transit of the Northern Sea Route on its way from China to Europe.[5]

In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey severely restricted the passage of military ships through the Bosporus Strait based on the Treaty of Montreux. Therefore, logistics ships of the Russian Navy are currently (as of December 2024) not allowed to sail through the strait. Instead, military equipment or soldiers on civilian ships will probably[according to whom?] be transferred from Syria to Russia by Oboronlogistik.[6]

Deputy Minister of Defence Timur Ivanov was CEO and director of OBL-Shipping LLC, a subsidiary of the corporation until his arrest and fall from power in April 2024.[6][7]

In December 2024, the Oboronlogistics ship MV Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria after a series of explosions in its engine room. The cause of the explosions is unknown.[8] Oboronlogistics attributed the incident to a terrorist attack.[9]

Fleet

References

  1. ^ "RF Ministry of Defense creates new cargo terminal in Geoport of Novorossiysk". . portnews.ru. February 11, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "Sanctions Actions Pursuant to Executive Orders". www.federalregister.gov. June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Russia/Ukraine-related designations and identifications. Specially Designated Nationals List Update". home.treasury.gov. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  4. ^ "What do Russian ships hide from the world? Ukraine is already looking for them in the Black Sea". rusi.org. 26 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Russian vessel successes transmit through NSR". safety4sea.com. 30 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b Pili, Giangiuseppe; Crawford, Jack; Loxton, Nick (September 2023). "Russia Is Violating the Montreux Convention with Civilian Ships". Proceedings, United States Naval Institute (www.usni.org). No. 149/9/1, 447. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  7. ^ Pili, Giangiuseppe; Crawford, Jack; Armenzoni, Alessio (April 26, 2024). "Russian Official Linked to "Ghost Fleet" Has Been Charged With Treason". The Maritime Executive (maritime-executive.com). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion in engine room". The Guardian. Reuters. 2024-12-24. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  9. ^ Papachristou, Harry (25 December 2024). "Owner of sunken Russian vessel suspects sabotage behind Ursa Major casualty". TradeWinds. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Vital Russian Supply Lines in Black Sea Cut by Ukrainian Drones". www.navalnews.com. 10 March 2024.
  11. ^ Kirby, Paul (24 December 2024). "Russian ship under US sanctions sinks after engine room blast". BBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2024.