The DIU has identified 20 more vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet that transport energy resources in circumvention of sanctions

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence has published information on 20 seagoing vessels transporting Russian oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas, or bunkering sanctioned vessels. This was reported by the press service of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, according to UNN.

Ukraine’s military intelligence is publishing data on 20 seagoing vessels exporting Russian oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas, as well as bunkering the sanctioned fleet. These vessels are elements of the logistics network used by the Kremlin to generate revenue to finance its genocidal war against Ukraine. At present, all of them are under sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom or Ukraine, while one of the vessels is subject to US restrictions

Among the main subjects of the publication is the Russian vessel PORTOVYY (IMO 9246621), designed to transport and store liquefied natural gas (LNG). Since 2021, the tanker has been owned by the sanctioned PJSC "Gazprom" and serves as a floating gas storage facility within the "Portovaya" complex in the Leningrad region.

On 15 August 2026, PORTOVYY, carrying a cargo of Russian LNG, left the waters of the Gulf of Finland for the first time since November 2021. Following the Northern Sea Route, the tanker sailed to the Chinese port of Beihai for unloading. The vessel is currently at the Chinese Zhoushan Huafeng Shipyard (Zhoushan Island), designated as the site for its maintenance.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine is also publishing details about two new subjects in Russia’s shadow fleet of gas carriers, which the aggressor state hastily purchased around the world in spring 2026 through front structures:

AVACHA (IMO 9319404) — a conventional gas tanker. It was previously owned by China’s Jovo Energy, but in spring 2026 it was bought by the little-known company Tudor Maritime Ltd (Marshall Islands). Since June 2026, it has sailed under the flag of the Russian Federation and has been operated by the newly established Russian entity LLC "Cryoline Management" (TIN 6500028647). Since August 2026, the vessel has been facilitating the export of gas from the Utrenny terminal of the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project to the Chinese hub of Beihai;

CHAIVO (IMO 9319404) — a gas carrier previously owned by Greece’s Maran Gas Maritime, but also purchased by Tudor Maritime Ltd. Since July 2026, the vessel has been transferred to the flag of the Russian Federation and placed under the umbrella of LLC "Cryoline Management". Since August of this year, the gas carrier has been transporting cargoes to the port of Beihai from the sanctioned non-self-propelled floating gas storage facility KORYAK FSU, located in the waters of the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

In its efforts to preserve critically needed financial revenues from energy exports, the aggressor state of Russia is not only attempting to build ice-class vessels at its own shipyards, but is also systematically and in advance expanding its shadow fleet through a network of offshore companies

We remind you

Russia is attempting to create a new "shadow fleet" of tankers to circumvent sanctions and preserve revenues from gas exports, with which the Kremlin finances the war against Ukraine.