The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZRU) warned in a rare statement on Friday that the Kremlin plans to inspect and re-flag around 80 oil tankers registered in different jurisdictions, expanding Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
The majority of the tankers are owned by companies registered in the Seychelles, China, Azerbaijan and Samoa, the SZRU said. Others are registered in Vietnam, India, the United Arab Emirates and the Marshall Islands.
The EU-sanctioned Russian Maritime Register of Shipping is expected to identify and inspect the vessels before placing them under the Russian flag.
Ukrainian intelligence said the move comes as Western governments increasingly detain ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet – an opaque network of aging tankers used to transport crude oil to and from Russia, evading international sanctions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
By transferring the ships to the Russian registry, Moscow could simplify their legal status while gaining greater control over crews and operations. Intelligence officials warn that the vessels could also be used to deploy Russian agents or conduct surveillance and sabotage missions targeting Western infrastructure.
The Baltic Sea is of particular concern, with more than 40 percent of Russia’s seaborne oil exports transiting through the region. The presence of Russian-flagged tankers in these waters could increase the Kremlin’s ability to exert hybrid pressure against Europe while sustaining energy revenues that continue to finance the war against Ukraine.
In February, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a National Security and Defense Council’s decision to sanction 225 captains of shadow fleet vessels and entities serving the Russian military-industrial complex into law.
The SZRU also recalled the case of the sanctioned Russian oil tanker Bella-1. In January 2026, the vessel, which was transporting oil for Iran and Venezuela, received Russian registration after the Guyanese flag it was sailing under was revealed to be false.
In late December, as the US Coast Guard attempted to stop the ship in the Caribbean, the crew refused to follow orders and changed course, triggering a chase.
During the pursuit, the crew painted a Russian flag on the hull. A few days later, the vessel was officially renamed the Marinera and registered with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.
Sources in US President Donald Trump’s administration told several outlets that Russia may have sent a submarine and other naval ships to escort the tanker to safety, although the Kremlin has not confirmed this.
By early January, the tanker was widely reported to be sailing under the Russian flag, a move that complicated the legal and diplomatic arguments around the US seizure.
US Vice President JD Vance later described Bella-1 as a “fake Russian tanker,” accusing its operators of attempting to pose as a Russian vessel to evade sanctions.
The US war against Iran has created new opportunities for Russia to evade sanctions, as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues to strangle other supplies and send global demand soaring.