Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has created a shadow fleet of over 1,240 tankers to circumvent Western sanctions and continue selling oil.
Points of attention
- Russia has established a shadow fleet of over 1,240 tankers to evade Western sanctions and sustain oil sales during the invasion.
- Some vessels in the Russian shadow fleet operate under foreign flags or no flags, increasing concerns for security and environmental hazards.
Russia has a “shadow fleet” of over 1,240 tankers
This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has created a shadow fleet of more than 1,240 tankers — often old and unsafe — that allows it to circumvent sanctions and continue selling oil.
As noted, a significant portion of vessels sail under the flags of other countries or without flags at all, often without insurance and technical supervision.
These floating threats have already led to a series of environmental disasters — with oil spills, fires, and marine pollution.
The Central Oil and Gas Commission reported that as of September 2025, the Russian Federation was earning approximately $200 million daily from oil exports, 69% of which was transported by the shadow fleet.
