The UK announced on Thursday that it has sanctioned two shipping companies and five ships under its Russian sanctions regime.

In the first week of this month, Britain sanctioned 10 more ships from Russia's "shadow fleet", a group of vessels that it claims uses illicit practices to circumvent Western oil restrictions.

Russia has rejected Western pressures to limit its oil outputs. In the last year, the number of tankers carrying cargoes not insured or regulated by Western conventional providers has increased.

White Fox Ship Management, Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC and Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC were sanctioned on Thursday. Asya Energy was one of the ships, along with Pioneer, North Sky and SCF La Perouse. (Reporting and writing by Muvija, Kylellan MacLellan, editing by William James).

(source: Reuters)