Albania barred Hanuman, which Ukraine’s military intelligence calls part of Russia’s shadow fleet — Balkan Insight
In Albania, the Port of Durrës captaincy on August 29 barred the oil tanker Hanuman from entering the port after the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence classified the vessel as part of the so-called shadow fleet of the Russian Federation, an aggressor state. This was reported by Balkan Insight.
Reaction of Ukrainian intelligence
Ukraine’s military intelligence welcomed Albania’s decision, calling it an example of international cooperation in enforcing sanctions and restricting maritime routes Moscow uses to export oil. According to Ukrainian intelligence, when it was denied entry to Durrës, Hanuman was flying the flag of Sierra Leone.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence states that since the beginning of 2025, the tanker has transported at least 452,000 tonnes of fuel from Russia. Most voyages, according to the intelligence data cited, began in Novorossiysk. The vessel headed to Turkey, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, as well as to an area for ship-to-ship cargo transfers near the Italian city of Augusta.
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Company links
Ukrainian intelligence said that logistical support for these voyages was provided by the Russian company Altoprae Marine, based in Novorossiysk. The Main Directorate of Intelligence links the company to a manager from the circle of sanctioned Russian oligarch Gennady Timchenko, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence also reported a link between Altoprae Marine and the operations of vessels owned by Rosewood Shipping. Ukrainian authorities claim that the company is controlled by Oksana Marchenko, the wife of pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
According to maritime traffic data, Hanuman had already called at the port of Durrës in November 2025. A BIRN investigation published in May 2026 identified the tanker as part of a list of vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil or grain stolen from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by Russia.
