-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
The Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has published new databases on its War&Sanctions portal, releasing details on 238 Russian vessels identified as part of a shadow fleet of aging oil tankers.
Fossil fuel exports remain a major source of revenue for sanctioned states like Russia and Iran, with Russia earning $188 billion and Iran $53 billion from oil sales in 2023. These funds are used to bolster military capabilities, develop weapons, and support regional proxy activities.
“The shadow fleet, comprising over 1,000 vessels, is characterized by outdated and poorly maintained tankers often operating under opaque ownership and flags of convenience. Representing 17% of the global oil tanker fleet, these ships use tactics to obscure cargo origins and navigate international waterways without pilot assistance, increasing the risk of accidents. Since February 2022, more than 50 incidents involving such tankers have been reported globally,” the portal wrote.
“In response to Western sanctions and the loss of traditional oil buyers in Europe, Russia has turned to markets in Asia, particularly India and China. The country has also expanded its fleet of older tankers, reportedly spending $10 billion since 2022, and has relied on Iran’s so-called ‘ghost armada ’ to transport oil.”
Many of these tankers have been flagged by environmental groups like Greenpeace for risks to ecosystems, particularly in the Baltic Sea. Others, according to United Against Nuclear Iran, have shifted from carrying Iranian oil to Russian oil, further complicating the enforcement of international sanctions.
Previously, European Union ambassadors have agreed on a 15th package of sanctions against Russia in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
