Solutions to win: pro-Ukrainian civil society groups call for stronger sanctions and unified action against Russia’s shadow fleet
Photo: Oleg Berg-Rusten/EPA/Politico
As Russia continues to exploit gaps in Western sanctions to finance its brutal war against Ukraine, civil society groups, including Razom We Stand, B4Ukraine Coalition, CREA, KSE Institute and UK Friends of Ukraine are urging the EU, UK, Canada and the US to align their sanctions enforcement and dismantle Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers.
Rubryka reports this.
What is the problem?
Russia's shadow fleet consists of at least 848 tankers transporting crude oil and oil products. Alarmingly, only 338 vessels (40%) have been sanctioned by at least one of the key sanctioning jurisdictions (EU, UK, Canada, and US), while just 25 vessels are sanctioned by all four jurisdictions. This fragmented approach leaves critical gaps that Russia exploits to continue selling its fossil fuels and replenishing its war chest.
In the most recent year of Russia's full-scale invasion, shadow tankers transported a third of Russia's total fossil fuel export value (EUR 83 billion), highlighting their importance in financing the Kremlin's war efforts. Additionally, shadow tankers have inadequate or dubious maritime insurance, meaning that they place a substantial environmental and economic risk on coastal states that could be forced to cover the astronomical cost (up to EUR 1.5 bn) of clean-up in the event of an oil spill.
What is the solution?
Civil society groups, including Razom We Stand and B4Ukraine Coalition, have prepared a briefing note urging the EU, UK, Canada, and the US to align sanctions enforcement and dismantle Russia's shadow oil tanker fleet.
"Every day that Russia's shadow fleet continues to operate is another day that Europe and its allies fund Putin's war machine. The EU, UK, Canada, and the US must stop acting separately and sanction these vessels together. The 16th EU sanctions package covered less than 9% of the fleet—that is completely unacceptable. Partial sanctions will not stop Putin's war machine. Only a unified, airtight sanctions regime can cut off the billions Russia earns from fossil fuel exports. We urge leaders to establish a coalition of the willing and not to wait for the next EU sanctions package—this action must happen now to neutralise the shadow fleet and take meaningful steps to stop Russia's aggression. Every barrel of oil that Russia sells, bypassing international sanctions, means more bombs, more missiles, and more Ukrainian lives lost," said Svitlana Romanko, founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand.
Nezir Sinani, Executive Director at B4Ukraine, stated that swifter sanctions can save lives. He noted that targeted designations against shadow fleet vessels had significantly disrupted their operations, but the limited overlap of sanctions between countries weakens their impact. He argued that the EU and its allies must stop shadow tankers to effectively pressure Putin.
"Shadow tankers must be sanctioned by the EU and its allies with utmost urgency, as they pose two paramount crises. Firstly, shadow tankers are financing Russia's war in Ukraine, having transported a third of its fossil fuel exports (EUR 83 billion) in the most recent year of the invasion. Secondly, these tankers transport Russian oil with insufficient maritime insurance, meaning the cost of cleaning up an oil spill from these hazardous vessels could fall on coastal states, potentially reaching up to EUR 1.5 billion.
Evidence shows that when both the EU and UK sanction the same tanker, it significantly increases the impact of these measures, which is why the entire shadow fleet must be sanctioned by all of Ukraine's allies immediately," said Isaac Levi, Europe-Russia Policy & Energy Analysis team lead.
Moreover, Benjamin Hilgenstock, head of Macroeconomic Research and Strategy at the Kyiv School of Economics Institute, emphasized that Ukraine's allies, including the EU, should:
- Aggressively enforce sanctions on shadow tankers in the coming months.
- Ensure the entire fleet is removed from operations.
- Incentivize compliance from third-country actors by acting against those interacting with sanctioned ships and cargo.
"Research by Razom We Stand shows that the UK and our European counterparts need to go further to stop Russia's shadow fleet fuelling the Kremlin's war machine, murdering Ukrainians. The UK and EU have made progress in sanctioning vessels that are part of this fleet. Still, there are far more vessels and individuals that could and should be sanctioned by the UK and EU, to sink this shadow fleet finally," said Imogen Payter, UK Friends of Ukraine director.
Key findings from the briefing:
- Russia's shadow fleet comprises at least 848 tankers: 463 crude oil carriers and 385 oil product carriers.
- The 16th EU sanctions package designated only 74 ships, impacting less than 9% of the total fleet.
- While 338 tankers have been sanctioned by at least one Western jurisdiction, this covers less than 40% of the fleet, leaving the majority free to operate.
- Shockingly, only 25 vessels are sanctioned by all four significant jurisdictions (EU, UK, US, Canada)—highlighting dangerous enforcement gaps.
Razom We Stand and its partners are calling on the EU and G7 nations to:
- Establish a Joint Aligned Vessel Sanctions List: Designate vessels that one or more coalition members have already sanctioned to ensure complete coverage across all jurisdictions.
- Ramp Up Sanctions Enforcement Resources: Increase staffing and technical capacity to monitor and investigate compliance with oil trade restrictions.
- Sanction Vessels Violating Price Cap and Export Bans: A new joint framework should be enacted for a rapid scale-up beyond fixed sanctions packages. Prioritise targeting vessels that breach the G7 price cap, transport oil from occupied territories, and engage in Russian energy projects.
- Update Legal Frameworks: introduce necessary changes to legislation to ensure accountability of third-country entities.
Fossil fuel revenues fuel Russia's war in Ukraine, and as long as shadow fleet tankers continue to operate, Putin will continue his destruction of Ukraine. Western nations must work together to close these gaps immediately and impose airtight, coordinated sanctions before more lives are lost.
For reference:
Razom We Stand is an international Ukrainian campaign group. It calls for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment in Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
UK Friends of Ukraine is a non-profit organisation dedicated to maintaining and improving Anglo-Ukrainian relations at all levels of society, including those between politicians, businesses, and a range of pro-Ukrainian and Ukrainian stakeholders.
