Not an Army, But Close—Russia’s Shadow Fleet Is a Covert Military Asset

Not an Army, But Close—Russia’s Shadow Fleet Is a Covert Military Asset

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has relied on its “shadow fleet” of tankers as a critical military and economic instrument to sustain its war effort. The fleet operates under flags of convenience to evade sanctions, transporting oil, stolen Ukrainian grain, and weapons. They have also been linked to sabotage activity in the Baltic Sea. UNITED24 Media’s investigation, based on analysis of internal documents, reve…