Mixing of Azeri and Russian oil to avoid sanctions was done under the personal agreement between Putin and Aliyev – Google Search google.com/search?q=Mixing+o…
There is no publicly available evidence to confirm a personal agreement between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev to mix oil for sanctions evasion. However, reports have detailed how Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure and state-owned companies have been used to help Russia circumvent Western sanctions on oil exports. [1, 2, 3]
Allegations of Azerbaijan’s role in sanctions evasion“Invisible hand” accusations: Multiple reports have described Azerbaijan as an “invisible hand” behind Russian oil exports to Europe. By routing Russian oil through its territory, Azerbaijan has been accused of providing a lifeline for Russia to continue profiting from its oil exports, while allowing Europe to maintain its energy supply.
Shipments through Azerbaijan: Analysis published in October 2022 by the analytics firm Petrostrategies highlighted a significant increase in crude oil exports via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, even as Azerbaijan’s domestic production was in decline. This suggested that Russian oil was being shipped as Azeri Light, a higher-priced crude.
Refining and rebranding: The EU has confirmed that the Azerbaijani state-owned STAR refinery in Turkey is subject to sanctions for processing Russian crude oil. Reports indicate that over 90% of the refinery’s crude imports in early 2024 originated from Russia. The EU’s 18th sanctions package, adopted in July 2025, specifically bans imports of refined products made from Russian oil in third countries as an anti-circumvention measure.
Tanker activity: In 2025, the UK and EU sanctioned several Azerbaijani state-owned tankers for their role in transporting Russian-origin oil using “irregular and high-risk” shipping practices. These tankers, affiliated with the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) and SOCAR, were reportedly involved in transporting oil between Russian and Turkish ports.
Lukoil deal: In October 2023, Russian energy giant Lukoil provided a $1.5 billion loan to SOCAR and agreed to supply Russian crude to SOCAR’s STAR refinery. This was viewed by some as a workaround to avoid sanctions on direct purchases of Russian crude. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]The political context
No proof of a personal deal: While Aliyev and Putin have met on multiple occasions and affirmed their close ties, no evidence of a personal agreement to coordinate sanctions evasion has been revealed in public reports.
Strategic balancing act: Azerbaijan has performed a delicate balancing act, presenting itself as a strategic energy partner to Western countries while allegedly enabling Russia’s “shadow” oil trade. Western sanctions on Azerbaijani entities have been described by analysts as a “warning shot” to signal that its role in sanctions circumvention carries risks to its diplomatic and economic standing.
Recent conflicts: In 2025, Russia has repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani energy facilities in Ukraine, signaling that the relationship is complex and not always cooperative. Romanian authorities also investigated a potential Russian sabotage effort that involved contaminating a shipment of Azerbaijani oil. [3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] armenianweekly.com/2024/10/0…
[2] armenianweekly.com/2024/10/0…
[3] crudeaccountability.org/bala…
[4] civilnet.am/en/news/680193/r…
[5] eurasianet.org/azerbaijans-s…
[6] facebook.com/armeniannationa…
[7] facebook.com/ocmediaorg/post…
[8] news.am/eng/news/902900.html
[9] hetq.am/en/article/175817
[10] eurasian-research.org/public…
[11] neweasterneurope.eu/2025/07/…
[12] rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-russi…
[13] usnews.com/news/world/articl…
[14] euromaidanpress.com/2025/08/…
[15] caspianpost.com/analytics/ru…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Sep 23, 2025
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