Total refutes allegations of supplying fuel to jets that bombed Ukraine
Quantum Commodity Intelligence - French energy major TotalEnergies has firmly refuted allegations it is implicitly involved in the supply of fuel to the Russian military.
The comments came in response to an article published in Le Monde Wednesday headlined "How TotalEnergie's condensate fuels Russian combat jets in Ukraine".
The article accused Total of operating fields alongside partner Novatek that supplied natural gas liquids turned into kerosene for Russian jets, using data from Refinitiv to trace the supply chain to bases with aircraft blamed for strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine.
An advisor to Ukrainian President Zelensky called out Total directly in a comment to Le Monde, adding to the public relations pressure since Russia's invasion earlier this year due to its business in the country.
"We have been warning companies for months that by buying Putin's blood oil they are financing the murder of Ukrainian civilians, but TotalEnergies took it a step further by fueling war crimes," Oleg Ustenko economic adviser to Zelensky, told Le Monde.
"History will judge TotalEnergies, but the company must be held responsible long before that," added Ustenko.
Refute
Total published two separate press releases, including its answers to the Le Monde journalist's questions before the article was published, in which it denied any involvement in the operations of the Terneftgaz field as the minority (49%) partner of the project.
It also defended its 19.4% shareholding in the project partner, gas company Novatek, as an independent private company, reiterating that it also had no involvement or knowledge of the day-to-day operations and decisions made by Novatek, including on fuel sales.
"No, TotalEnergies does not produce kerosene for the Russian army. No, TotalEnergies is in no way associated with the supply of fuel to Russian military aviation in any form whatsoever," said Total in a statement.
"TotalEnergies categorically refutes all of the unfounded allegations made in this article. TotalEnergies strongly deplores the large number of errors, shortcuts, inaccuracies, speculations and untruths that are stated therein."
The company stood by an action plan set out in March regarding its business activities in Russia and "has always affirmed its strongest condemnation of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine."
It also reserved the right to take legal action to protect its interests and reputation.
