A coalition of 44 European countries, alongside the EU, has united to combat the illegal use of vessels by Russia, known as the "shadow fleet."
This fleet is seen by European countries as a significant security risk and environmental threat to European waterways, according to a press release by the government of the United Kingdom, as cited by European Truth.
The Shadow Fleet
The Russian fleet of oil tankers, dubbed the "shadow fleet" in the press, consists of approximately 600 ships. This represents about 10% of the world's "wet cargo" fleet.
These vessels transport around 1.7 million barrels of oil daily, generating substantial funds to support the Russian military in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Some ships in the shadow fleet are believed to act as Russian listening stations, while others are suspected of transporting weapons to Russia.
This raises significant security concerns for European nations.
Statements from Leaders
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the joint effort:
"Together with our European partners, we have sent a clear signal to those who support Putin's attempts to circumvent sanctions: we will not allow the Russian shadow fleet and the dirty money it generates to move freely through European waters and endanger our security."
In related actions, the UK recently added 11 new tankers to its sanctions list, targeting those involved in transporting oil or oil products from Russia to third countries.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also announced plans to intensify efforts against Russia's oil shadow fleet.
