Shell has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia as it apologised for its purchase of cheap Russian crude at the weekend. 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. Its 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 halting 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.(BBC)…[+]