DISINFO: The term ‘shadow fleet’ is EU fiction to justify attacks on Russian trade
SUMMARY
Western governments are using the term ‘shadow fleet’, which is an EU fiction, to justify what amounts to unlawful attacks on Russian maritime trade. They de facto enacted a ban on Russia’s ability to sell energy resources, while designating all ships which are not obeying the European Union, no matter which flag these ships sail under, as being part of the so-called ‘shadow fleet’.
RESPONSE
The term ‘shadow fleet’ is not an EU invention but a globally recognised concept. In a 2023 resolution, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) defined a ‘dark fleet’ or ‘shadow fleet’ as ships used to evade sanctions and engage in other illegal activities.
Moreover, in April 2026, the IMO approved the first International Guidelines to Deter Maritime Fraud and Misuse of Flags. These guidelines specifically target the misuse of flags and fraudulent registries – tactics central to shadow fleet operations. They aim to close the regulatory gaps that allowed 529 ships to fly false flags in 2025 alone.
Russia’s use of a shadow fleet to continue exporting oil and other goods since sanctions were imposed following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is well documented, analysed and studied by foreign governments and intelligence services, investigative journalists, think tanks, academics and institutions such as the European Parliamentary Research Service.
These vessels are not engaged in normal commercial activity. Research shows that they are used to transport sanctioned cargoes, often rely on deceptive practices, may operate without proper insurance, and can pose significant environmental risks in the event of accidents or oil spills. This directly contradicts claims that such activities are simply normal international trade.
As international pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet has increased, the Kremlin has launched a disinformation campaign. This campaign portrays Russia’s oil exports through shadow vessels as normal trade, and describes lawful actions against these ships as ‘piracy’. It has also been accompanied by threats of retaliation if such interceptions continue.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that NATO pirates act against Russian-linked ships under the pretext of sabotage, that NATO's Baltic policy could lead to a nuclear war, that sanctions against Russia are illegal, or that Russia is falsely accused of misdeeds by simply affirming that its responsibility is ‘highly likely’.