UK issues general licence for Kazakh oil activities involving Transneft under Russia sanctions regime
Britain has issued a new Russia sanctions general licence allowing certain activity tied to Kazakh oil moving through Russia, including payments involving Transneft and its subsidiaries, subject to strict conditions.
LONDON, March 19, 2026 — The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has issued General Licence INT/2026/9247168 under Regulation 64 of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, authorising activity related to the supply, purchase, transportation or delivery of Kazakh oil in limited circumstances.
The licence exempts conduct that would otherwise breach prohibitions in Regulations 11 to 15 of the Russia sanctions framework, to the extent necessary to give effect to the licence.
Under the licence, a person, as well as PJSC Transneft and its subsidiaries, may undertake permitted activities involving Kazakh oil, including payments, provided the oil is not owned by a person connected with Russia and is only being loaded in, departing from or transiting through Russia.
The licence defines Kazakh oil as crude oil under commodity code 2709 originating in Kazakhstan. It identifies the designated person as PJSC Transneft and any entity owned or controlled by it, directly or indirectly.
Relevant UK institutions, including regulated financial services firms and payment institutions, are also authorised to process payments connected to the permitted activity.
Parties relying on the licence must keep accurate and complete records for at least six years. The licence took effect on March 19, 2026, and is due to expire at 23:59 on March 18, 2028, unless it is varied, revoked or suspended earlier by HM Treasury.
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Structured data extracted from official sources and validated by sanctions experts