Grain Looting and Sanctioned Oil Trade: Ukraine Exposes Russia-Linked Illegal Maritime Network

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has released information on over a hundred vessels and captains involved in transporting Russian and Iranian sanctioned oil, as well as stolen Ukrainian grain from temporarily occupied territories. The data was published in the “Maritime Vessels” section of the War&Sanctions portal.

According to HUR on October 16, dossiers on 139 vessels and 142 captains have been made public, all of whom are involved in sanctions evasion and the illegal transportation of goods that fund Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“The export of crude oil, petroleum products, gas, grain, coal, sulfur, and fertilizers is a key component of the Russian economy, bringing billions in revenue to the aggressor state’s budget and financing its war against Ukraine,” the agency stated.

Intelligence officials emphasized that maritime exports from the Baltic and Black Sea regions have effectively become a Kremlin-organized flow of stolen Ukrainian grain and sanctioned oil products, operated largely through Russia’s shadow fleet.

Read more

Category

Opinion

How to Stop the Russian Shadow Fleet

Jan 29, 2025 17:21

Among the key figures featured in the latest publication are newly added shadow tankers used by Russia since 2025 to bypass sanctions controls; vessels tied to Iranian oil magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani—son of Iran’s former defense minister—who facilitates weapons transfers to Russia; and tankers linked to Russian businessman Dzhamaldin Pashayev, involved in the North-South transport corridor for trade with Iran. Pashayev and his companies have also been implicated in schemes supplying lethal aid to Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, with Iranian support.

The list also includes ships used to transport stolen Ukrainian grain that Russia fraudulently labels as its own on international markets, as well as Russian and foreign vessels that unlawfully enter closed ports in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.

According to HUR, the “Maritime Vessels” section of the War&Sanctions portal now contains information on more than 1,200 ships—over half of which are part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet—as well as nearly 300 captains directly involved in violating international sanctions.

Earlier, Russia restarted grain exports to Syria, reportedly including supplies sourced from territories it continues to occupy in Ukraine.

Support our frontline reporters

We report from the front lines to show the reality of war. Your support helps us stay there and tell the stories that matter.

DONATE NOW