---
title: "Europe Sets Records for Russian LNG Imports: 136 Tankers in Half a Year and a Vulnerability Ukraine Could Exploit"
description: "In the first half of 2026, \"Yamal LNG\" sent 136 tankers to Europe — 97% of all shipments — despite the EU deadline for phasing out Russian gas. Ukraine has tools to strike terminals and tankers, but diplomatic risks limit the scenarios."
date: 2026-09-06T03:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/eu-russian-lng-record-imports-ukraine-strike-options
tags: [russian-lng, eu-energy-policy, yamal-lng, ukraine-drones, gas-export, energy-security, arc7-tankers]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Europe Sets Records for Russian LNG Imports: 136 Tankers in Half a Year and a Vulnerability Ukraine Could Exploit

![Operator at a gas pipeline station turning a valve on yellow pipelines — infrastructure behind Russia's LNG exports to Europe](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/06/eu-russian-lng-record-imports-ukraine-strike-options/eu-russian-lng-record-imports-ukraine-strike-options-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- In the first half of 2026, "Yamal LNG" sent 136 tankers to Europe, accounting for 97% of all its shipments — a record since the start of the full-scale war
- The EU has set deadlines: long-term contracts cease from January 1, 2027, and all Russian LNG must disappear from the market by the end of 2026
- The "Yamal LNG" fleet consists of just 15 Arc7-class tankers, making the export structurally vulnerable
- The Vysotsk and Portova terminals on the Baltic are within the reach of Ukrainian UAVs
- Attacks on tankers carry a diplomatic risk due to the Western ownership of the vessels

Despite the European Union's declared course toward a complete phase-out of Russian energy carriers, European countries continue to purchase significant volumes of Russian liquefied natural gas. According to data from the analytical platforms Kpler and Urgewald, in the first half of 2026 the Russian plant "Yamal LNG" dispatched 136 tankers to Europe, accounting for roughly 97% of all its shipments. In the first quarter of the current year, EU imports of Russian LNG reached the highest level since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The main buyers turned out to be France, Spain, and Belgium, which continue to rely on Arctic gas in defiance of their own energy policies.

### Brussels Deadlines: When Will the Dependence End

The European Union has already adopted regulatory decisions on the phased cessation of Russian gas imports. Under the rules in force, deliveries of Russian LNG under long-term contracts must be fully halted by January 1, 2027, while in the broader perspective all Russian LNG is to disappear from the EU market by the end of 2026. However, as the first half of the year shows, actual delivery volumes have not only failed to shrink but have grown, casting doubt on the realism of the stated deadlines. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) emphasizes that Russia continues to earn substantial revenues from oil and gas exports to the European direction, while Brussels is only gradually reducing the level of dependence.

### Fifteen Tankers and Arctic Vulnerability

Russian LNG exports possess a structural vulnerability that makes them a potential target. Transporting liquefied gas from the Yamal Peninsula requires specialized Arc7-class icebreaker tankers capable of operating in Arctic ice conditions. According to an assessment by the outlet ntv, the fleet servicing "Yamal LNG" consists of just 15 such vessels. This means that even a limited number of successful strikes on tankers could seriously disrupt the logistics chain and complicate Russian gas exports to Europe. Ukraine, for its part, has already demonstrated the ability to strike targets at distances of more than 2,000 kilometers, and further increases in the range of unmanned systems could potentially open up access to remote Russian energy facilities.

### Contradictory Data

The sources record an inconsistency in the deadlines set by the European Union for ending Russian LNG imports. On the one hand, it is stated that "all Russian LNG must disappear from the EU market by the end of 2026." On the other — it is separately specified that imports under long-term contracts cease only from January 1, 2027. If all Russian LNG is to leave the market by December 31, 2026, then the logic of a separate deadline for long-term contracts in 2027 raises questions. Perhaps this refers to different phases of regulation (the spot market and contractual obligations), but in the public formulations the contradiction is not resolved, and both dates coexist in the regulatory field without a clear hierarchy.

### The Diplomatic Dilemma: Whose Tankers Are Under Attack

The scenario of attacks on tankers servicing "Yamal LNG" carries a serious diplomatic risk for Ukraine. The vessels in the Arctic LNG tanker fleet belong to Western owners — Greek, British, and Japanese companies. A strike on such vessels could be perceived as an attack on the civilian infrastructure of third countries and provoke a negative reaction from key allies of Kyiv. This significantly narrows the room for maneuver and makes the direct option of attacking tankers politically problematic, despite its technical feasibility.

### Alternative Scenario: Terminals Within Reach

A more realistic option for pressuring Russian gas exports, experts say, is strikes on LNG terminals. Russia currently has five such facilities operating. Two of them — Vysotsk and Portova, located on the Baltic Sea — are already within the potential reach of Ukrainian drones. The large terminal complexes on the Yamal Peninsula are located significantly farther, but the growing range of Ukrainian UAVs is gradually closing this gap. Thus, even without attacks on international tankers, Ukraine has tools capable of dealing a significant blow to the infrastructure of Russian LNG exports and, consequently, to the revenues Russia earns from deliveries to Europe.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [EU Becomes Even More Dependent on Russian Gas Despite the Ban, but Ukraine Could End This, Media Say](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/es-stav-shche-zalezhnishim-vid-gazu-rosiyi-1788665500.html) - Подтверждает основной нарратив о росте импорта российского СПГ в ЕС и потенциальных мерах Украины. Данные по 136 танкерам и 97% поставок соответствуют.
- [Gas Shortage in Europe Could Push Energy Prices Up Again](https://minfin.com.ua/2026/09/03/180962350/) - Дополнительный контекст по энергетическому рынку ЕС и ценовой динамике. Не содержит прямых данных по объёмам СПГ, но подтверждает общую картину зависимости.
- [Europe Still Depends on Russian LNG: Ukraine Could Put an End to This, Media Say](https://www.unian.net/world/rossiyskiy-szhizhennyy-gaz-po-prezhnemu-postavlyaetsya-v-evropu-ukraina-mozhet-eto-prekratit-13491330.html) - Совпадает по фактологии: объёмы поставок, основные покупатели (Франция, Испания, Бельгия), уязвимость флота Arc7, терминалы на Балтике.
- [Europe Faces a Problem: Will It Be Able to Supply Countries with Gas in Winter](https://24tv.ua/economy/ru/gaz-v-evrope-hvatit-li-es-zapasov-zimoj-chto-budet-s-cenami_n3135262) - Контекстный источник по зимним рискам обеспечения газом в ЕС. Поддерживает тезис о сохраняющейся зависимости от импорта.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How much Russian LNG was delivered to Europe in the first half of 2026?
**A:** According to Kpler and Urgewald, the "Yamal LNG" plant dispatched 136 tankers to Europe, accounting for about 97% of all its shipments over this period. In the first quarter, volumes reached a record level since the start of the full-scale war.

### Q: When must the European Union fully phase out Russian LNG?
**A:** Under EU regulatory decisions, imports of Russian LNG under long-term contracts cease from January 1, 2027, and overall Russian LNG must disappear from the EU market by the end of 2026. However, actual deliveries are currently growing rather than shrinking.

### Q: Why is Russian LNG export vulnerable?
**A:** Transporting gas from Yamal requires specialized Arc7-class icebreaker tankers. The fleet servicing "Yamal LNG" consists of just 15 such vessels, making the logistics chain critically dependent on a small number of units.

### Q: Which Russian LNG terminals are within the reach of Ukrainian UAVs?
**A:** The Vysotsk and Portova terminals, located on the Baltic Sea, are within the potential reach of Ukrainian drones. The large facilities on the Yamal Peninsula are located significantly farther, but the growing range of UAVs is gradually closing this gap.

### Q: Why do strikes on LNG tankers carry a diplomatic risk for Ukraine?
**A:** The tankers servicing "Yamal LNG" belong to Western owners — Greek, British, and Japanese companies. An attack on such vessels could be perceived as a strike on the civilian infrastructure of third countries and provoke a negative reaction from Ukraine's allies.