Ukraine’s National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has included Fluxys, the Belgian gas system operator, on a list described as “international war sponsors” in relation to its ongoing dealings with Russia. The disclosure appeared on the Telegram channel operated by the NACP, which has previously named multiple international firms in connection with their business ties to Russia.
According to the NAPC, Fluxys played a role in supporting the export of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), a commodity that funds portions of the Russian military apparatus through revenue streams kept alive by international trade and investment channels. The agency’s claim underscores how energy logistics can intersect with broader geopolitical tensions, especially when a company’s facilities are used to support international LNG transportation and distribution networks.
Specifically, the NAPC states that Fluxys provides access to its infrastructure to the Yamal LNG project. Yamal LNG is majority-owned by Novatek, the Russian gas company that operates LNG production facilities and ships products to markets around the world. The connection suggests that Fluxys’ services are part of a wider supply chain that enables the export of LNG from Russia to customers across various continents, sometimes through complex financial and logistical arrangements that bridge multiple jurisdictions and regulatory regimes.
In the agency’s findings, Fluxys’ involvement is described as contributing to Russia’s state revenue, with estimates indicating a positive impact of around 800 million euros in 2023. This figure, presented by the NAPC, is intended to illustrate the perceived economic benefit to the Russian budget from ongoing cooperation with Fluxys and related entities within the LNG export chain, highlighting how sanctions and export controls can be weighed against the operational realities of foreign energy infrastructure operators.
The NAPC notes that while several companies ceased their interactions with Russia following the February 24, 2022, actions, Fluxys reportedly continued its collaboration with Yamal LNG and Novatek through the entirety of 2022 and into 2023. The agency’s portrayal emphasizes the persistence of some international links even after broad sanctions measures were introduced, raising questions about the enforcement and effectiveness of those measures across different sectors and regions.
On a later note dated November 23, Ukraine’s records also identified another European company, Knauf, as being added to the list of “war sponsors,” reflecting ongoing updates to the register and the broader effort to catalog entities deemed to play a role in supporting the Russian energy or military ambitions. This pattern of updates underscores Ukraine’s continuing emphasis on transparency and accountability regarding international corporate participation in activities linked to Russia’s war effort.
Earlier mentions in Ukrainian discourse also called out Bacardi as a company previously listed among what Kyiv described as “war sponsors,” illustrating how the designation has included diverse corporate profiles across industries beyond the energy sector. The evolving list appears to function as a tool for public awareness and policy signaling, rather than a formal sanctions regime by itself, yet it can influence perceptions and decisions among investors, partners, and regulators who monitor compliance with international norms and sanctions programs.
Analysts and observers note that the dialogue surrounding Fluxys and similar entities centers on the tension between market participation in global energy supply chains and the geopolitical realities of sanctions, export controls, and national security concerns. The discussion invites careful examination of how infrastructure operators assess risk, maintain compliance, and document their relations with LNG producers and shippers that operate within or beyond sanctioned jurisdictions. It also highlights the importance of clear governance, robust due diligence, and transparent reporting in a landscape where economic activity intersects with strategic policy objectives across North America and Europe.