Shell Pledges to Stop Buying Russian Oil
Shell has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia as it apologized for its purchase of cheap Russian crude at the weekend.
Gathogo Wanjiru 
The energy giant also said it would close all its service stations in the country and stop all current work there. Shell came under huge criticism at the weekend after it purchased a cargo of Russian crude at a discounted price.
The boss said on Tuesday, however, that it was wrong to buy Russian oil.
"We are acutely aware that our decision last week to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil... was not the right one and we are sorry," Mr van Beurden said.
The company said it will immediately stop purchasing Russian crude oil and will shut about 500 service stations there, as well as halt its aviation fuel and lubricant operations in the country.
The rest of the company's exit from Russian oil and gas is expected to take some time.
The Ukrainian foreign minister had hit out at the firm on social media after it emerged Shell had bought crude.
"Doesn't Russian oil smell Ukrainian blood for you," asked Dmytro Kuleba.
Exiting the Russian market is "a complex challenge," admitted Mr van Beurden.
"Changing this part of the energy system will require concerted action by governments, energy suppliers, and customers, and a transition to other energy supplies will take much longer."
When Shell was forced to defend its purchase of Russian crude over the weekend, it insisted that it had "no alternative" in order to maintain timely supplies of fuel to Europe.
Russian oil currently makes up about 8% of Shell's working supplies. One of the firm's refineries, which produces diesel and petrol and other products, is also among the biggest in Europe.
It still remains unclear, however, how exactly Shell will replace the volume of energy produced by Russia.
