Russia Limits Energy Data Access to Hinder Western Sanctions - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday further restricting the disclosure of information regarding energy and oil products. This is an effort to hinder sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other Western nations.

As quoted by ANTARA, according to a document published on the official legal information portal, the measure was taken "due to the need to take urgent action in response to unfriendly acts contrary to international law by the United States of America and foreign states and international organizations that have joined it."

Under the decree, "information regarding the processing volumes and product output of a legal entity, a Russian oil refinery," was included in the list of information with restricted access.

The decree prohibits disseminating information about the names, quantities, and prices of exported energy products, as well as the identities of sellers, buyers, and intermediaries. It also prohibits disseminating information about payment settlements, shipment dates and times, modes of transport, routes, terminals, storage facilities, and their geographic coordinates.

"Aggregate customs statistics" and data regarding "planned sales volumes" for oil and energy products are also classified as restricted information.

The decree prohibits disseminating such information via the media or the Internet, except for information that companies disclose about their own activities.

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

The government has 10 days to determine which product codes are covered by the restrictions and to approve regulations for the automated processing of data from state systems.