Despite EU sanctions and declared support for Ukraine, companies from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have found themselves at the center of a large-scale scheme to supply fuel to Russia's "shadow fleet." This is stated in a LRT article, writes UNN.
Details
An investigation by journalists from LRT, 15min, Eesti Ekspress, and Neka personīga revealed that over nine months – from June 2024 to March 2025 – two bunkering tankers, Rina and Zircone, carried out 286 refueling operations in the Baltic Sea, serving at least 177 vessels, 159 of which regularly visited Russian ports.
Experts emphasize that the activities of these vessels bear all the hallmarks of supporting Russia's "shadow fleet" – a system of ships used by Moscow to circumvent oil sanctions and conceal the origin of cargo.
At the time of fuel supply, at least 20 tankers that received refueling were part of the Russian shadow flotilla
According to Petras Katinas from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), such activity is a gross violation of the sanctions regime: "Bunkering companies must conduct strict due diligence of counterparties, maintain transparent documentation, and comply with all legal standards. Otherwise, they become direct accomplices in financing Russia's war," the expert emphasized.
Despite international law allowing limited exceptions for refueling vessels, these operations must be under the full control of regulators. However, as journalists found out, Fast Bunkering, a company associated with Rina and Zircone, continues to do business almost unhindered in EU waters.
The investigation also revealed links between a number of Baltic companies and the refueling of tankers owned by Russia or its affiliated firms, despite public statements by the governments of the Baltic countries about the complete isolation of Moscow.
Analysts note that the complex ownership structure, frequent changes of ship flags, and the use of intermediaries allow Russian oil to continue its path to world markets, effectively undermining the effectiveness of Western sanctions.
While regulators are trying to catch up, companies operating in EU waters continue to work in a "gray area." This situation demonstrates how difficult it is to control global shipping chains
Despite the increasingly stringent sanctions regime, Russia's shadow fleet remains a powerful mechanism for circumventing restrictions, and operations in the Baltic Sea are further evidence of how the business interests of individual companies can support the Kremlin's war economy.
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