Europe cracks down on Russia's hidden fleet, ISW reports
Illustrative photo: European countries ramp up fight against Russia's shadow fleet (Getty Images)
European countries have started taking tough measures against Russia's shadow fleet and its partners. These steps aim to strengthen control over maritime transport and ensure compliance with sanctions, according to the report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts in their report referenced recent publications by Ukrainian and international media on the topic, including Bloomberg and the Ukrainian site Militarnyi.
Notably, it mentions that on January 16, the oil tanker Arcusat changed course from the route between Denmark and Sweden toward German waters to sail north to Russia's Arctic coast.
According to Bloomberg, the tanker sailed under various flags, including Tanzania and Cameroon.
However, Germany's federal police denied the vessel's crew entry into the country's territorial waters.
Meanwhile, another ship, reportedly the Turkish bulk carrier Hizer Reis, was also involved.
"European countries appear to be cracking down against oil tankers associated with the shadow fleets of Russia and its allies," the analysts noted.
Reports indicate that dozens of shadow fleet tankers near Venezuela's coast have switched to Russian flags in recent months, and many Russia-linked shadow fleet vessels are under sanctions for transporting cargo in support of the Iranian regime.
US operation against the shadow fleet
Earlier, the US launched a large-scale operation against the shadow fleet, which attempts to move Venezuelan oil through flag and name manipulations.
In early January, US forces carried out a series of interceptions in international waters. The most high-profile case was the seizure of the vessel Bella 1 (Marinera) in the North Atlantic.
US forces also conducted a successful operation in the Caribbean, detaining another shadow fleet vessel — the tanker Sophia.
In the Caribbean, US special forces seized the sanctioned tanker Veronica, the sixth ship detained under the operation. The vessel violated the embargo, manipulating documentation and tracking systems to transport oil illegally on behalf of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.
US lawmakers have urged the Donald Trump administration to take more radical steps — moving from targeted sanctions to mass seizure of ships transporting Russian oil.
