In order to sell its petroleum products in West Africa and circumvent Western sanctions, Russia is refining a system that is as opaque as it is effective. Tankers have been unloading tens of millions of barrels in the region's ports at below-market prices since early 2023. The Russian government relies on a handful of traders with proven loyalty who have set up a web of companies in China and the United Arab Emirates.
This financial wheeze enables Moscow to dump its products in the region at prices

