Russia creating new shadow fleet to circumvent sanctions - UK Foreign Office

According to reports, Russia has built at least two new tankers about 300 meters long to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Arctic.

Both vessels entered service earlier this year.

The UK Foreign Office believes the Kremlin has requisitioned a number of other vessels to strengthen its covert fleet, which is increasingly becoming the target of seizures by NATO.

The British government reported the alleged attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to expand the fleet on October 1, and also announced new sanctions against Russia.

"The Russian state is attempting to build a dangerous new shadow fleet to circumvent sanctions and sustain revenues from its gas exports. Today’s package targets several vessels acquired to support that effort, including some that entered service as recently as July this year," the Foreign Office said.

In addition, Britain imposed sanctions on eight more vessels, including next-generation liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers Alexey Kosygin and Konstantin Posiet, which sail under the Russian flag.

The 127,555-ton vessels were built in Russia and entered service earlier this year. Both are capable of navigating through ice up to two meters thick, indicating that they could be used as part of Russia's expansion into the Arctic and Far North.

A third vessel, Petr Stolypin, also joined the fleet this year and was sanctioned along with the tankers Portovyy, Chaivo, Avacha, Bebek-E (built in 1979), and Galle Energy, a 75-foot personnel transport vessel sailing under the Sri Lankan flag.

As of today, the EU has imposed sanctions on approximately 670 vessels, banning them from entering European ports, while the UK has taken action against around 600 tankers used to finance Putin's war machine.