UK expands sanctions on Russian 'Shadow Fleet' with 30 additional vessels
The UK government added 30 more ships to its sanctions list as part of Russia's "shadow fleet," expanding the total number of sanctioned vessels to 73. This move marks the "largest sanctions package" issued by London targeting tankers and cargo ships used by Russia to bypass oil embargoes and other punitive measures, aimed at funding its ongoing war against Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced on Monday, November 25. (
The list now includes Russian-flagged vessels such as Anatoly Kolodkin, Antarktika, Belgorod, Bratsk, Georgy Maslov, Kemerovo, Kolomna, Krasnoyarsk, and Viktor Bakaev. Additionally, ships flying flags from Panama, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other nations also feature on the blacklist.
These vessels are now barred from entering UK ports, and their registration in the national ship registry will be terminated. Moreover, captains and pilots might face directives to detain the tankers. According to the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, half of the newly sanctioned ships have transported Russian oil and petroleum products valued at over $4.3 billion in 2023 alone.
In a simultaneous move, Russian insurance companies "AlfaStrakhovanie" and "VSK Insurance House" have been blacklisted, accused of aiding the "shadow fleet" in transporting goods without adequate insurance coverage.
These sanctions are considered effective since "Russia is becoming increasingly reliant on countries like North Korea and Iran for military equipment supplies," emphasized officials in London. Notably, oil tankers Artemis and Sea Fidelity, operating under the flags of Gabon and Honduras, "were rendered useless, idling in the Baltic Sea after being sanctioned last month."
The UK's sanctions against the Russian "shadow fleet" are more extensive than those of the US and the EU. The American blacklist contains 39 "shadow fleet" tankers, while the European list has 19.
By operating under foreign flags, ships transporting Russian oil and gasoline enable the Kremlin to continue its prohibited exports despite sanctions and capped oil prices.
London believes the Russian "shadow fleet" is engaged in activities intended to destabilize Ukraine, posing a threat to the country's sovereignty. The fleet is also accused of creating hazards in the Baltic Sea and deliberately spilling oil worldwide.