Ukrainians in Australia protest Russian oil shipments at Sydney port

SYDNEY – Ukrainians in Australia staged a protest against fuel imports containing Russian oil. It took place outside an oil terminal in Kurnell, near Port Botany in Sydney, where a tanker carrying fuel linked to Russian crude arrived over the weekend.

“Our protest this weekend at Kurnell sends a clear message — Australians will not stay silent while Russian war profits flow through our ports and into our petrol [gas] stations,” said Kateryna Argyrou, Chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations (AFUO).

Members of the Ukrainian community and their allies joined the protest, urging the Australian government to close a loophole in its sanctions that allows Russian oil to enter the country. They also encouraged citizens to write to their local members of parliament.

According to AFUO, Australia has transferred an estimated AU$1.93 billion to the Kremlin’s budget through fuel imports since the start of 2023 — more than the AU$1.6 billion in aid Australia has provided to Ukraine.

“60 percent of Australians want this loophole closed,” AFUO said.

The protest has already drawn media attention, with major outlets Herald Sun and Courier Mail covering the story. The campaign also received support from businessman Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and analyst Mark Corrigan.

“Together, we’ve turned public outrage into public action. Now let’s turn action into policy,” AFUO said.

Earlier, in a column for Herald Sun, Argyrou explained how Russian oil continues to flow into Australia despite existing sanctions.