A Russian liquefied natural gas project subject to US sanctions is close to exporting its first cargo after Chinese expertise filled the technical and logistical void left by western companies.The shipment shows how Russia has been able to bolster its energy industry with Beijing’s help, despite western attempts to kill the project and cripple Russia’s LNG ambitions.

The US placed Arctic LNG 2 under direct sanctions in November, in effect blocking its allies from buying the project’s gas when it starts production. The move followed an EU ban on the transfer of LNG-related technology to Russia in April 2022, two months after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Arctic LNG 2 is key to Russia’s energy strategy, with the project’s potential success likely to trigger further investment in similar schemes. It also illustrates China’s growing role both as Russia’s main equipment supplier and its largest buyer of LNG.