New Delhi | Jagran World Desk: The debate whether India should buy oil from Russia or not has put the spotlight on the nations still buying Russian oil despite its invasion on Ukraine that has led to massive humanitarian crisis in Eastern Europe.
Here are the countries still buying Russian oil:
Bulgaria: The Russian neighbour, widely recognised as a prominent proponent of Moscow’s interests in Eastern Europe, hosts largest oil refining enterprise Neftochim Burgas, owned by Russia’s Lukoil. Since the refinery is the only source of oil in Bulgaria, it makes the volumes of Russian oil imported or not imported inconsequential in conventional sense.
China: A Reuters report recently claimed that an oil production monitoring organisation found more Russian crude oil heading to Russia. China is reportedly the second largest Russian oil importer after European Union.
European Union (EU): The 27 countries bloc, comprising of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, is the largest importer of Russian oil. EU relies on Russia for 40 per cent of its gas and 27 per cent of its crude imports.
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Germany: Crude Oil from Russia accounts for about 14 per cent of oil intake at Germany’s largest refinery MiRO.
France: Crude oil from Russia had accounted for 9.5 per cent of total imports in 2021. The French authorities have claimed that they are moving away from the Russian supplies amid intensified Russian assault on Ukraine.
India: Hindustan Petroleum, India's state refiner, bought 2 million barrels of Russian Urals for May loading, according to trading sources quoted by news agency Reuters. Indian Oil Corporation, India's top refiner, bought 3 million barrels of Urals for May delivery, trade sources quoted by Reuters added further.
Hungary: Other than Bulgaria, Hungary is the next prominent proponent of Russian interests in Balkan region with Prime Minister Victor Orban opposing Western sanctions on Moscow. The Hungarian oil group MOL, has said that it continues to be supplied by the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Netherlands: The Dutch government has not banned Russian oil on its ports.
Poland: Poland, Ukraine’s neighbour currently hosting millions of refugees, too has not stopped taking Russian oil. Poland's largest refiner, PKN Orlen had said it is buying Russian crude for its refineries in Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic
Turkey: President Erdogan of Turkey too has opposed sanctions on Moscow. The country continues to buy Russian oil and reportedly doesn’t have any plans to stop it in the immediate future.