Ukraine Praises US Action Against Russia’s Shadow Fleet, Including Tanker Olina

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine welcomed “the United States’ consistent and steadfast action against unlawful tankers,” including the seizure of the oil tanker Olina, on January 9. 

In his statement, Sybiha said the Olina “has been sanctioned as part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’,” and added that such steps “project strength and send the right messages to perpetrators.” 

Over the past week, US authorities have intercepted multiple vessels, including the Marinera (formerly Bella-1) and the Panama-flagged M Sophia, which were tied to Venezuelan oil shipments and described by US officials as part of a “shadow fleet” used to move sanctioned oil. 

Olina was sanctioned by the US in January 2025, when it sailed under the name Minerva M, in connection with what Washington described as a shadow fleet operating with little regulation or known insurance. 

Earlier, it was reported that the US moved to seize the tanker Olina near Trinidad as part of a wider crackdown on Russia-linked shadow fleet vessels transporting sanctioned oil, with the ship previously sailing from Venezuela and flagged under Timor Leste.

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