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Akbar Novruz

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Black Sea Petroleum, the company operating the oil refinery near Georgia’s Kulevi terminal, has announced that it will stop refining Russian crude oil beginning in August–September, amid growing scrutiny over its operations and allegations that it has helped Russia circumvent international sanctions, AzerNEWS reports.

The announcement was published on the company’s website on Wednesday and later confirmed by a company spokeswoman.

The decision comes after Black Sea Petroleum and the nearby Kulevi terminal narrowly avoided being included in the European Union’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia earlier this year.

The company has faced increasing criticism and suspicions over its role in processing Russian oil despite Western sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. The planned halt to Russian oil refining is expected to address some of those concerns as international pressure over sanctions compliance continues to intensify.