The Biden administration on Friday targeted Russia’s energy sector, including its oil industry, with some of its harshest sanctions to date meant to cut off funding for Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

The Biden administration on Friday imposed its broadest package of sanctions yet targeting Russia's oil and gas revenues in an attempt to give Kyiv and the incoming administration of Donald Trump leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine.

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, which explore for, produce and sell oil as well as 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, many of which are in the so-called shadow fleet of aging tankers operated by non-Western companies. The sanctions also include networks that trade the petroleum.

The U.S. Departments of Treasury and State Friday applied new sanctions on Russia's oil production and exports. Sanctioned were oil companies, 183 ships, dozens of oil traders, insurance companies and energy officials.

The United States of America has announced new sanctions that will hit Russia's oil refining industry. Source: European Pravda with reference to a US Treasury Department press release Details: Sanctions have been announced against Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas.

The Biden administration's new sanctions target Russia's oil giants Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, shadow fleet vessels, and opaque traders. Oil prices surged, while European equities slid as investors fear tighter global supply.

The Biden administration announced Friday it was imposing what it billed as the most significant sanctions to date on the Russian energy sector, targeting Moscow’s oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) exports just weeks before leaving office.