Spy equipment for monitoring the naval activities of NATO countries was discovered on board the Russian tanker Eagle S, which was detained by Finland and is part of the shadow fleet of the aggressor country.
Points of attention
- Spy equipment for monitoring NATO activities was found on the Russian tanker Eagle S, causing power outages due to increased electricity consumption.
- The discovered transceivers onboard allowed the vessel to spy on NATO warships, indicating espionage activities in favor of Russia.
- Similar spy equipment was also uncovered on the Russian shadow fleet ship Swiftsea Rider, raising concerns about the extent of espionage operations within the fleet.
- Both tankers Eagle S and Swiftsea Rider are part of 26 tankers with murky ownership structures, under sanctions for supporting Putin's military agenda.
- The spy equipment discovery sheds light on the covert operations of the Russian shadow fleet and highlights the ongoing tensions in the region.
What is known about spy equipment on ships of the Russian shadow fleet?
It is noted that the discovered transceivers installed on board the Eagle S actually allowed the vessel to spy on NATO warships for the benefit of Russia.
The tanker was found to be carrying high-tech equipment, unusual for a merchant vessel. This equipment was significantly increasing the level of electricity consumption from the ship's generator, causing numerous power outages.
The equipment was carried aboard the ship in huge portable suitcases.
Laptops with keyboards for Turkish and Russian were also brought on board. The equipment was stored on the bridge, the highest point on the ship.
According to the publication's sources, the equipment was used to record all radio frequencies and to track NATO naval ships and aircraft.
On Russian territory, the information received was analyzed by the special services of the aggressor country.
Eagle S also dropped "sensor-type devices" into the water while passing through the English Channel.
On which other ships of the Russian shadow fleet was spy equipment discovered?
This is not the only ship to have been fitted with spy equipment. Similar devices were found on the Russian shadow fleet ship Swiftsea Rider, which sails under the Honduran flag.
Both vessels are among 26 Russian-linked, old tankers with opaque ownership structures that are under British sanctions for supporting Putin's war machine. The tankers were purchased in 2022-2023, bypassing sanctions, and transferred to Eiger Shipping, the shipping arm of Russian oil trader Litasco.
Finnish authorities have detained an oil tanker that is part of Russia's shadow fleet on suspicion of damaging a power cable between Finland and Estonia.
