Ukraine Says Strikes on Russia’s Shadow Fleet Are Legal

Ukraine has defended its strikes on Russia’s shadow fleet, arguing that tankers transporting Russian oil and gas are directly supporting Moscow’s war effort and may therefore constitute legitimate military targets.

According to the Financial Times, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba outlined Kyiv’s position in a letter sent to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday, following Russian accusations that Ukraine was carrying out “terrorist” attacks against commercial shipping.

“Legitimate questions arise as to whether the activities of such vessels can be regarded solely as ordinary commercial operations,” Kuleba wrote.

Kuleba argued that Russia’s shadow fleet plays a critical role in generating the revenues that fund the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion.

According to the letter, Russian oil and gas tankers are “critical to the generation of budget revenues for the Russian Federation and the continuation of its war effort.”

Ukraine is estimated to have struck around a dozen sanctioned shadow fleet vessels, with Russia accusing Kyiv of attacking the Russian-flagged tanker Arctic Metagaz in the Mediterranean in March, calling it an act of terrorism.

Ukraine rejected the characterization, arguing that Russia itself has repeatedly targeted civilian shipping, including grain ships in the Black Sea port near Odesa, since launching its full-scale invasion.

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Kyiv accuses Russia of attacking merchant shipping

According to Kuleba, Russia has attacked 59 merchant vessels since 2022, including the Turkish cargo ship MV Victress and the German-owned Helga, which was carrying 25,000 tons of corn to southern Ukraine’s Chornomorsk.

The letter said MV Victress became unseaworthy after a fire broke out on its bridge, while Helga sustained fire damage.

“These attacks constitute further evidence of the Russian Federation’s blatant disregard for international humanitarian law, the laws governing naval warfare, and the safety of merchant shipping,” Kuleba wrote.

The argument comes as European countries are stepping up enforcement of sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet.

Britain seized a tanker carrying Russian cargo in the English Channel earlier this month, while France intercepted another suspected shadow fleet vessel in the Mediterranean last week.

EU countries have also been pressuring states, including Panama, Barbados, and Cameroon, to remove shadow fleet vessels from their registries, making them easier to inspect or detain under international maritime law.

Industry estimates suggest the global shadow fleet has expanded to more than 1,500 tankers as Russia increasingly relies on aging vessels, opaque ownership structures and foreign flags to circumvent Western sanctions on its oil exports.