Three Russian-Linked Tankers Targeted by US Military
According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, President of Ukraine’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, three out of five tankers struck by the U.S. military on September 8 have direct ties to Russia’s shadow fleet. The vessels in question are Kaviz, Charminar, and Riesco, which transported Russian oil, called at Russian ports, and were used to operate under sanctions.
The Kaviz tanker, for instance, called at Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk, transported Russian oil, and had a practice of switching off its AIS tracking system. The vessel was linked to Fractal Marine DMCC, a company described as one of the key operators of Russia’s shadow fleet in the first years after the introduction of oil sanctions.
Charminar’s Operations Under Scrutiny
The Charminar tanker called at Ust-Luga, Primorsk, Vysotsk, and St. Petersburg. After the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Fractal Marine, vessels linked to it began to be transferred to other managers, but operations involving Russian oil continued. At the same time, Charminar is linked to a shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani — an Iranian oil magnate — which works simultaneously with Iranian and Russian oil.
Riesco’s Role in Sanctions-Evasion Infrastructure
Vlasiuk emphasizes that the vessel Riesco clearly demonstrates how this system operates: the tanker transported both Russian and Iranian oil, including through ship-to-ship transfers with other sanctioned tankers. All three vessels are under sanctions imposed by Ukraine and the United States. Kaviz is also under sanctions imposed by the EU, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland.
The Russian and Iranian shadow fleets intersect through vessels, managers, intermediaries, and oil routes. That is why the response to such vessels must be tough, regardless of whose flag they sail under and whose interests they formally serve. If the shadow fleet helps sanctioned states sell oil and generate revenue, it becomes part of the sanctions-evasion infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Approach to Sanctions Enforcement
The shadow fleet is increasingly perceived as a real threat rather than as a formal sanctions-compliance issue. For Ukraine, this approach is fundamentally important: sanctions must work not just on paper but physically deprive sanctioned states of the ability to profit from oil and finance the war – Vladyslav Vlasiuk summarized.
We remind you that on Tuesday, the U.S. military destroyed five Iranian tankers carrying crude oil. The U.S. Central Command stated that the strikes were in response to attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to attack a U.S. warship with ballistic missiles.
Original Article: Of the five tankers targeted by the U.S. military, three are linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, V lasiuk says — Unn