Britain detains shadow fleet tanker for first time; Kyiv expects stronger pressure on Russia’s oil revenues

This was reported by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the President’s Representative on Sanctions Policy, in comments to Ukrinform.

“For the first time, the United Kingdom has detained a tanker linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in its waters. The vessel in question is the SMYRTOS—a ship that underwent a complete restructuring of ownership and management over the past year and operated on Russian oil export routes,” he noted.

The representative recalled that after February 2025, the vessel changed its name from MYRTOS to SMYRTOS and its management structure. At various times, Daira Shipping Ltd (Seychelles), Crest Maritime Pte Ltd (Singapore), and later Zhao Yao Shipping Ltd (Hong Kong) were involved, while the ultimate beneficiaries remain opaque.

Vlasiuk emphasized that Crest Maritime also managed other tankers involved in the export of Russian oil following the imposition of sanctions and the G7 price cap.

According to the Commissioner, the vessel was involved in the Russian export system, specifically from the port of Kozmino—one of the Russian Federation’s key export terminals for supplying oil to Asian markets. SMYRTOS has changed its flag multiple times, including operating under a Cameroonian registration.

The Commissioner explained that such changes are typically used to complicate monitoring of the vessel and its prior operations. Ukraine imposed sanctions against it in December 2025, and at the time of its detention by the UK, the vessel was already subject to sanctions by the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada.

“On June 5, the SMYRTOS loaded cargo in Ust-Luga and set sail for Port Said (Egypt). For such a tanker, this amounts to about 600,000 barrels of oil—the standard volume for a single voyage. The SMYRTOS is a typical shadow fleet vessel: rapid changes in owners and operators, an opaque control structure, and continued operations despite sanctions. Such cases demonstrate that a sanctions regime without physical control over shipments is limited in its effectiveness. “The next logical step is more inspections and the arrest of tankers on key maritime routes,” the presidential adviser emphasized.

He stated that Ukraine is developing additional legal grounds for the arrest of vessels and the confiscation of illegally transported oil and is sharing this information with partners.

“We also expect legislative steps from the EU in this direction,” Vlasiuk added.

The official also noted the UK’s more active stance: “In addition to sanctions work, partners are moving toward practical control in their own waters. This is a response to instances of Russian military forces escorting shadow fleet tankers, which created additional risks for the sanctions regime.”

In his view, this approach could set the tone for other partners to increase real, rather than merely formal, pressure.

“We are grateful to Britain for this important step against Russia’s shadow fleet. Every decision by our partners that reduces Russia’s oil revenues directly impacts its ability to wage war against Ukraine,” he concluded.

As reported by Ukrinform, on Monday, June 15, the EU Council approved a new package of sanctions against Russia, targeting its shadow fleet, energy revenues, and military-industrial complex.