Putin tightens secrecy of Russian energy data to hinder Western sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday (28/9) that further restricts the disclosure of information regarding energy and oil products, in an effort to complicate the enforcement of sanctions imposed by the US and other Western nations.

According to documents published on the official legal information portal, the measure was taken “due to the need for immediate action in response to unfriendly acts contrary to international law by the United States as well as foreign countries and international organisations joining them.”

Under the decree, “information regarding the processing volumes and production yields of a legal entity, namely Russian oil refineries,” has been included in the list of information with restricted access.

The decree also prohibits the dissemination of information regarding the names, quantities, and prices of exported energy products; the identities of sellers, buyers, and intermediaries; payment settlements; dates and times of delivery; means of transport; as well as routes, terminals, and storage facilities, including their geographical coordinates.

“Aggregate customs statistics” and data regarding “planned sales volumes” for oil products and energy products have also been classified as restricted information.

The decree further prohibits the dissemination of such information through the media and the internet, except for information disclosed by companies regarding their own activities.

Access may be granted with the consent of the data owner, while government agencies may access such information within the scope of their legal authority.

The government has been given 10 days to establish the product codes covered by these restrictions and to approve regulations regarding the automated processing of data from national systems.