October 11, 2026 · Trade and sanctions update
OFAC Authorizes Defined Russian-Origin Diesel Transactions Through April 7, 2027
A late reconciliation found one substantive item omitted from the October 10 report: OFAC issued Russia-related General License 135 on October 9, authorizing otherwise prohibited transactions tied to the sale, delivery, offloading and importation—including importation into the United States—of Russian-origin diesel fuel through a fixed deadline. The authorization is narrow, does not change tariff rates, and preserves a specific restriction on Russian sovereign accounts.
General License 135 creates a time-limited diesel authorization
OFAC’s October 9 release links to Russia-related General License 135. The license authorizes transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587, or the Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 589, when those transactions relate to the sale, delivery, offloading or importation of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin.
| Item | Official detail | Operational reading |
|---|---|---|
| Publication | OFAC page and license dated October 9, 2026; the page displays no clock time | Added here as a late reconciliation because it was not in the October 10 report |
| Authorized activity | Sale, delivery, offloading and importation, including importation into the United States, of Russian-origin diesel fuel | Confirm that each payment, service and shipment is ordinarily connected to the covered diesel transaction |
| End of authorization | 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2027 | Do not schedule completion after the cutoff without a separate authorization |
| Express exclusion | No debit to an account on the books of a U.S. financial institution of Russia’s Central Bank, National Wealth Fund or Ministry of Finance | Validate the full payment chain and account ownership before processing |
Timing: The license is dated October 9 and does not state a separate delayed start date. It expressly authorizes covered transactions only through 12:01 a.m. Eastern daylight time on April 7, 2027. OFAC’s web page does not provide a publication timestamp, so an exact hour of release cannot be verified from the official page.
The license is not a tariff change or a general Russia waiver
General License 135 changes the sanctions authorization applicable to a defined class of diesel transactions. It does not amend the HTSUS, reduce customs duties, waive entry documentation, or broadly authorize unrelated dealings with Russia. Other sanctions prohibitions, blocked-person and ownership rules, export controls, maritime restrictions, customs requirements and non-U.S. laws may still apply.
The text also does not identify an HTSUS number or a special customs-entry procedure. Importers should not translate the license into a duty exemption or assume that every petroleum product qualifies as diesel fuel. Classification, origin, product specifications, counterparties, vessels, insurers, banks and the complete transaction path require separate review.
Weekend source audit and candidate ledger
| Source/candidate | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| OFAC General License 135, October 9 | Publishable now | Substantive sanctions authorization; omitted from the prior report and reconciled here |
| White House Releases, Presidential Actions, Fact Sheets and date-bounded site search | No new item | Latest displayed items remain October 8 releases/fact sheet and October 7 actions; no October 10–11 substantive trade announcement located |
| CBP CSMS | Access gap | Complete ACE list was inaccessible; public CBP/GovDelivery results did not show a new October 10–11 tariff, HTS or entry-implementation bulletin |
| USITC HTS Revision/Modification Sources | Covered earlier | Revision 21 dated October 9 remains the latest edition and was covered in the October 10 report; no Revision 22 appears |
| Federal Register public inspection | Weekend gap | The official list is unavailable after midnight Eastern and states that it will return Tuesday, October 13 at 8:45 a.m. Eastern |
| USTR October 9 Utah plant-tour notice | Excluded | Travel/appearance notice without a new tariff, agreement, investigation or compliance action |
Practical action list
- Importers and traders: document why each shipment and service falls within the diesel-fuel activity described in GL 135.
- Banks and payment teams: identify every account in the payment chain and block any debit prohibited by paragraph (b).
- Shipping and insurance teams: screen counterparties, vessels, beneficial owners and intermediaries against applicable sanctions lists and ownership rules.
- Customs teams: treat the license as a sanctions authorization, not an HTS classification or duty exemption.
- Contract owners: build the April 7, 2027 cutoff into delivery, discharge, payment and contingency clauses.
What to watch next
Any OFAC amendment, extension, revocation or FAQ clarifying General License 135; any CBP filing guidance for covered imports; and the next HTS revision or modification source after Revision 21.
Common questions
Does General License 135 lift all Russia-related sanctions?
No. It authorizes transactions tied to specified Russian-origin diesel activities under two sanctions programs, subject to its terms. It is not a general waiver. License text.
Does the license eliminate customs duties on Russian-origin diesel?
No. It does not amend the HTSUS or announce a duty exemption. Customs classification, duties and entry requirements remain separate questions.
Can a U.S. bank debit any Russian government account for a covered transaction?
No. Paragraph (b) expressly excludes debits to U.S.-bank accounts of Russia’s Central Bank, National Wealth Fund or Ministry of Finance. GL 135, paragraph (b).
When does the authorization end?
At 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2027, unless OFAC changes the license. GL 135.
Primary sources and dates
Research cutoff: October 11, 2026, shortly after 8 a.m. Central. Publication date, authorization deadline and legal effect are stated separately. OFAC’s page displays a publication date but not a release time. The complete ACE CSMS list was not accessible, so public CBP and GovDelivery results were checked and this report does not claim a complete CSMS review. The Federal Register public-inspection list is unavailable for the holiday weekend and is scheduled to return October 13. This report is general information, not legal advice.