What lies behind surprise US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, and does this mark the start of systemic pressure on the Kremlin? In October 2025, the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with dozens of their subsidiaries, in an effort to increase economic pressure on Russia. The European Union and the United Kingdom followed suit by announcing new sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector. JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage