Armed guards have appeared on tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet
Starting in the spring of 2025, people without maritime credentials but with combat experience from the war against Ukraine began appearing on board tankers in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” According to the investigation, they may include former mercenaries from the Wagner Group who served as security personnel during maritime transport.
Who was found among the crews
Journalists examined the crew lists of over two thousand vessels subject to U.S. and EU sanctions, as well as those included in the list maintained by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
The data covers the period from January 2023 to mid-April 2026—approximately 325,000 records covering nearly 16,000 voyages. They include the surnames, dates of birth, passport numbers, positions, and qualifications of crew members.
Among the thousands of sailors, 83 individuals stand out. They have one thing in common: no maritime documents—no seaman’s passport, no diploma, and no qualifications.
These individuals appear 306 times on the crew lists of 65 tankers. In 32 cases, their position on the ship is listed as “security guard.” In fact, they are mercenaries.
The identities of these individuals have been verified using leaked personal data and internal documents from the Wagner Group.
Who are these people
At least 28 individuals served in private military companies:
18 with the Wagner PMC
the rest—in RSB Group, Moran Security Group, and Reduta
According to investigators, another 48 of the 83 individuals appear to have combat experience—they have been in Syria in recent years.
Among the mercenaries is a participant in the war against Ukraine
One of those identified is Dmytro Savitsky, who has been fighting in eastern Ukraine on the side of Russian forces since 2014.
According to investigators’ findings, PMC employees controlled the crew. Their presence was intended to ensure the delivery of oil to buyers, even if European countries attempted to stop the tanker by force.
The EU has authorized the use of force to stop vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet.
Russia’s shadow fleet transports oil under false insurance policies – Bloomberg
As a reminder, France plans to significantly increase penalties for ship owners and operators who use false flags or ignore orders to stop.
Europe plans to discuss operational decisions regarding the introduction of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia to increase pressure on Moscow.
