Russian president Vladimir Putin signed an executive order approving the list of information with restricted access in the fuel and energy sector, as well as the procedures for its use.
Putin signed a decree further restricting disclosures of information about energy and oil products to counter sanctions from the United States and other Western countries.
The decree outlines a number of restrictions on the publication, including via mass media, in response “to unfriendly actions taken in violation of international law” by the United States of America and foreign states and international organisations aligned with it.
According to the presidential decree dated September 28, as posted on the official portal for the disclosure of legal acts, the measures have been implemented owing to the need for urgent action in response to “unfriendly acts that violate international law.”
Dissemination of such information, including through mass media and the Internet, is not allowed.
The executive order further establishes that maintaining confidentiality of the information included in the approved list and implementing measures required for this purpose under the legislation of the Russian Federation are mandatory.
The order also sets out the procedure for using the information included in the list.
Putin is tightening his grip on information about Russia’s fuel and energy data, making it harder for the West to track energy flows.
The new rules, published on Russia’s official legal information portal, add to restrictions introduced since Western sanctions on Russia expanded following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
