Russia's Illegal Oil Operations: New Insights
Russian vessels continue to illegally transfer oil in international waters close to Greece without any insurance, further evading sanctions.
According to reports from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the situation remains critical.
Since July 2024, the Russian tanker IMO 9247443, lacking Western insurance, has been engaged in illegal oil transfers between vessels in international waters near Greece and Cyprus.
The agency emphasizes that these operations are opaque and pose a threat to ecological safety while allowing evasion of sanction controls.
Data from the GUR MO of Ukraine indicates that this tanker serves as a floating hub for the delivery of sanctioned Russian oil. The War&Sanctions portal has published information on 577 vessels, of which 159 are actively involved in the operations of Russia's "shadow fleet," along with the names of 55 captains.
Russia employs various schemes, including disabling AIS, nighttime STS operations, and spoofing navigation data. Many tanker operations are conducted at night without lighting and insurance, increasing the risk of major accidents.
