A group of 14 European countries has issued a joint warning to Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Baltic and North Seas, saying it is stepping up security and control measures.
This is reported by the British government.
Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement. In addition, 14 countries separately accused Russia of interfering with satellite navigation systems, which poses a threat to international shipping.
The statement notes that ships can only fly the flag of one state and must have valid safety, technical and insurance documentation. Tankers that do not meet these requirements will be considered "vessels not belonging to any state".
The shadow fleet consists of nearly 1 500 tankers that transport oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela in circumvention of international sanctions. Such vessels are usually outdated and often use false or changeable flags, ignoring international maritime regulations.
Granting the status of “stateless vessels” opens up broader possibilities for European countries to intervene in their activities, including inspections and detention. The statement effectively confirms the need to seize such vessels, as has been the case in recent weeks.
In particular, French President Emmanuel Macron reported on January 22 that the French Navy had detained an oil tanker that was en route from Russia and was under international sanctions.
Recently, tankers of the Russian shadow fleet have been constantly encountering problems at sea. In particular, on January 20, the US military detained the tanker Sagitta in the Caribbean Sea for transporting Venezuelan oil. The vessel is under sanctions by Ukraine, the EU, the US, Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.
And already on January 22, French naval forces stopped a tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that was heading from Russia, was under international sanctions, and was likely sailing under a false flag.
Despite this, BBC journalists found out on January 23 that dozens of oil tankers, against which the UK imposed sanctions in response to Russiaʼs war in Ukraine, passed through the English Channel in January. The British Ministry of Defense had previously threatened the tankers with "strong measures".
What is known about the Russian shadow fleet?
In early December 2022, the G7 members, as well as Australia and the EU, imposed price caps on Russian oil, setting a maximum price of $60 per barrel. In January 2026, the European Union reported a reduction in the price of Russian oil to $44.1 per barrel from February 1, 2026.
To circumvent oil sanctions, Russia has begun to form a shadow fleet. This is a fleet of old tankers that turn off their beacons so that they cannot be seen by surveillance systems. They are operated mostly by the Russian state company “Suchkomflot”.
With its help, the Russian Federation transports an estimated 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, which brings large profits to the Kremlin.
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