Russia uses more than 1,240 tankers to circumvent sanctions
Since February 2022, Moscow has formed a huge shadow fleet of more than 1,240 oil tankers.
This was reported by the Centre for Countering Disinformation, citing data from maritime transport monitoring.
Most of them are outdated vessels that pose a serious threat to the environment and maritime navigation.
This scheme allows the Kremlin to continue exporting oil in defiance of international restrictions.
A significant number of these vessels sail under the flags of third countries or without any official registration at all.
Tankers often lack adequate insurance coverage and do not undergo mandatory technical inspections, making them potential sources of disaster.
The environmental consequences of such activities have already manifested themselves in a series of emergencies. There have been numerous cases of oil spills, fires on board tankers and large-scale pollution of water areas.
Experts warn that each such vessel could cause a regional environmental disaster.
As of September 2025, Russia's daily oil sales revenues reached approximately $200 million. At the same time, 69% of the total volume was transported by the shadow fleet, which highlights the scale of the problem.
This system allows Moscow to maintain high revenues from hydrocarbons despite Western sanctions.
Recall that China is expanding its ‘shadow fleet’ to import Russian LNG subject to sanctions.
