DIU has identified 20 more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet

This was reported by the Intelligence Directorate on Facebook.

Currently, the Shadow Fleet section on the War&Sanctions portal contains information about 626 vessels of the shadow tanker fleet of Russia and Iran with a total deadweight of nearly 67 million metric tons.

"Identified are 20 tankers of Russia’s shadow fleet, which, lacking proper Western insurance, ensure Russian maritime export flows of oil and oil products from ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, as well as from the Arctic and Pacific regions to India, China, and other countries, using deceptive and high-risk shipping practices," the message states.

The Directorate noted that to maintain income from fossil fuel exports, the aggressor continues to expand the shadow fleet network by bringing in new outdated tankers registered not only in Russia but also with "phantom" owners and managers in Russia-friendly jurisdictions (Seychelles, China, Singapore, Azerbaijan, India), under the "umbrella" of convenient flags of Panama, Russia, Sierra Leone, etc.

Some of the identified tankers are linked to Russian companies, including those under sanctions, such as: JSC "Volgotanker", LLC "Volgotrans", LLC "Rosewood Shipping", LLC "Eneya", LLC "SBK Valley", LLC "Ridni Polya", as well as LLC "Staksel".

"LLC ’Staksel’ transported fuel oil with the tanker ’Volgoneft-212’, which sank last December in the area of the Kerch Strait. The accident led to the spillage of fuel oil and an environmental disaster," highlighted the Directorate.

Some of the identified tankers call at ports in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea.

The Iranian "Ghost Armada" tankers provide significant oil revenues, which allow Iran to continue developing and distributing weapons, as well as conducting destabilizing activities, particularly through its regional proxies.

"The Iranian government allocates billions of petrodollars annually to its armed forces, financing the development of UAVs, hundreds of which attack peaceful Ukrainian cities every night," added the Directorate.