Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday accused Russia of employing oil tankers as tools for reconnaissance and sabotage operations across Europe, warning that the vessels form part of Moscow’s expanding “shadow fleet” used to fund and further its war efforts.
In a post on Telegram following a briefing with Ukraine’s foreign intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko, Zelenskyy said the tankers were being used not only for trade but also for military and subversive purposes.
“Currently, Russians are using tankers not only to earn money for the war, but also for reconnaissance and even sabotage activities. It is entirely possible to stop this,” the Ukrainian leader wrote.
Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy elaborated on Ivashchenko’s report, saying Russia had repurposed several of its “shadow fleet” tankers to carry out covert missions intended to destabilize Europe.
“Recent cases of drones being launched from tankers are one such example,” he said. “We are sharing this information with partners, and it is important that their response to Russia be real.”
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Moscow of expanding its “shadow fleet”, a network of vessels operating under obscure ownership and insurance, to evade Western sanctions and continue exporting oil.
Zelenskyy’s latest claims suggest the fleet is also being used for intelligence gathering and direct sabotage operations, potentially escalating tensions with European nations that host vital maritime and energy infrastructure.
Kyiv says it is coordinating closely with international partners to counter such threats and to tighten monitoring of Russian-linked maritime activity.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
