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Ukraine Flags 38 Vessels Linked to Russian Shadow Fleet, 10 Not Yet Sanctioned
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Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has released data on 38 vessels it says are involved in helping Russia circumvent international sanctions, export energy products, and support military logistics, the agency reported on September 23.
According to HUR, the vessels operate under the flags of Barbados, Russia, Cameroon, Panama, Belize, Liberia, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, Tanzania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Hong Kong, and Palau.
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Of the 38 vessels identified, 28 are directly involved in exporting Russian oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas, as well as bunkering sanctioned tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and transporting Ukrainian grain from temporarily occupied territories, according to the intelligence agency.
HUR said those 28 vessels are already subject to sanctions imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Ukraine.
The intelligence agency also identified 10 oil tankers that are not currently under sanctions but are allegedly being used to transport Russian oil to international markets and deliver gasoline and diesel fuel to Russia.
The disclosure follows an earlier HUR investigation into tankers allegedly involved in supplying more than half a million tons of gasoline and diesel fuel to Russia.
In addition to the vessels, Ukrainian intelligence released information on 11 ship captains who, according to HUR, were involved in navigating the tankers and facilitating deliveries of imported fuel to Russia.
The findings come amid broader Ukrainian efforts to disrupt Russia-linked maritime operations and revenue flows. In a recent operation near Sochi, a Ukrainian drone struck the sanctioned Russian oil tanker Armada Leader after maneuvering under fire from a Russian helicopter attempting to intercept it.
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Video footage released by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi showed the helicopter pursuing and firing at the drone as it approached the vessel. The drone evaded the fire before continuing toward the tanker and ultimately striking its target.
Pressure on Russia’s maritime and energy sectors has also increased through additional international sanctions. On September 18, US President Donald Trump signed broad legislation targeting Russia’s energy, defense, and maritime sectors.
The legislation, formally titled the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” and widely referred to as the “sanctions bill from hell,” was named after the late Republican senator from South Carolina, a long-standing advocate of tougher economic measures against Moscow.
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