The US Department of Defense has ramped up enforcement against shadow fleet vessels transporting sanctioned oil, forcing seven ships in 24 hours to change course and change courses in the Caribbean region. A recent seizure included Olina near Trinidad while Ukraine applauded coordinated US actions taken against Russia-linked vessels operating without proper regulation.
On 8 and 10 January 2026, the shadow fleet carrying Russian and Venezuelan oil came under increased military and regulatory scrutiny. A Palau flagged tanker linked to Russia was hit by an unmanned surface vessel off Turkiye; U.S. forces also seized two suspected sanctions evasion tankers as separate operations; regional governments as well as NATO partners are currently reviewing risks related to this opaque trade.
From 6-8 January 2026, Ukraine reportedly struck a Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker off Turkiye while U.S. authorities advanced criminal proceedings against its crew detained in the Atlantic. These actions demonstrate increasing operational and regulatory risks for sanctions-evading oil transport.
Reports surfaced over January 4-6, 2026 highlighting shadow fleet tankers reflagging to Russia near Venezuela to avoid US seizures, as well as four vessels connected with oil evasion from Venezuelan. This trend illustrated Russia's increasing role in protecting illicit tankers from interception or drone threats while testing international enforcement limits.
Over a dozen Western-sanctioned tankers have recently switched their flag to Russia's, seeking protection against U.S. interception and Ukrainian drone attacks. This marks a dramatic transformation of shadow fleet operations: vessels are moving away from open registries towards direct state protection.
Regulators have taken several measures against shadow fleets evading oil sanctions over the last week. EU targeted nine Russian-linked firms on December 31, while US OFAC sanctioned 29 Iranian vessels and four Venezuelan tankers; Finland also detained a ship carrying hidden Russian cargo highlighting risks in Baltic and Arctic regions; all this action aims to limit sanctioned oil revenues.
On December 18, 2025, the European Union imposed sanctions against an additional 41 vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet, bringing its total up to nearly 600. These actions target tankers that circumvent oil export restrictions while Moscow attempts to fund war financing activities abroad. Affected vessels will now be prohibited from EU ports and services and individuals and firms have already been sanctioned with recent designations of individuals or firms involved.
On December 18, 2025, the European Union sanctioned 41 additional vessels belonging to Russia's shadow oil tanker fleet - bringing their total up to nearly 600. These measures target tankers that circumvent G7 oil price caps while diverting energy revenues towards funding Russia-Ukraine war. These actions included port bans and service restrictions across EU states amid increasing Urals crude discounts and logistics challenges.
Between December 15 and 17 the EU blacklisted additional operators and businesspeople of Rosneft and Lukoil linked to Russia’s ‘shadow tanker’ fleet, also plans to reinterpret maritime law to ease boarding suspect vessels, protecting subsea infrastructure while targeting these tankers.
Between 13-15 December 2025, the European Union subjected further shadow fleet operators transporting Russian oils to sanctions while Ukraine blacklisted most tankers involved in the sanctions evasion network. The measures raised legal and insurance risk exposure for opaque tanker operators, and underscored the lengths that authorities will go to in pursuit of shadow fleet operators.
From December 11-13, 2025, the United States ramped up its campaign against the global shadow fleet by seizing the tanker Skipper off Venezuela with commando raids, while Ukraine and the EU keep up the pressure against dark shipping associated with Russia. The assaults highlighted deteriorating legal, operational and market conditions for owners looking to protect vessels involved in shadowy oil trades.
On December 10-11, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard seized shadow fleet tanker Skipper just off the Venezuelan coast to disrupt a multi-year, sanctions evasion operation moving illicit oil for Iran and Venezuela. This highlights continuing efforts against shadow fleets funding sanctioned regimes and the focus on Russia's shadow fleet.
From December 3 to December 5 2025, Ukraine ramped up pressure on Russia’s shadow oil fleet through long range naval drone strikes and fresh intelligence releases. Ukrainian sources noted successful attacks on sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea as well as estimates for more than 1,240 vessels acting as sanctions evasion networks in Russia - raising state, environmental and compliance costs across the rest of world shipping.
Ukrainian forces targeted Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea on December 1-3, 2025, damaging vessels and disrupting Russian oil exports. The strikes, involving Kairos and Virat tankers respectively, threaten to affect maritime warfare tactics affecting global energy markets and sanctions enforcement.
Russia's shadow fleet continues on its rapid growth path since 2022; now representing approximately 17% of total tanker capacity. Artificial intelligence analytics, multisensor fusion new detection methodologies to counter evasion methods - AIS spoofing and false flag procedures.
Ukrainian naval drones targeted two sanctioned Russian tankers of the shadow fleet, MT Kairos and MT Virat, as Kyiv aggressively expanded its campaign against Russia's sanctions-evasion shipping network. The two vessels were attacked on November 28-29th 2025.
Between November 15 and 22 2025 both the US and EU use sanctions on Russian energy exports tripling down on energy sanctions and OFAC designating Rosneft and Lukoil whilst adding 557 vessels to its shadow fleet listings. These were carried out together and perhaps signal a shift away from the vessel by vessel sanctions strategy and moving more towards disrupting energy rather than vessels.