US EditionThe Kremlin’s brazen tactics: Russia’s shadow fleet is doubling as a spy asset, intelligence sources say
Moran Security personnel linked to Russian military conduct espionage and monitor ship captains on shadow fleet tankers, aiding Kremlin interests amid Western sanctions, intelligence sources say.
- In recent months, Moran Security Group operatives linked to Russian military and security services were placed on shadow fleet tankers, often as the only Russians aboard in European waters.
- Since 2022, Moscow has amassed a shadow fleet of hundreds of tankers carrying Russian oil despite Western sanctions, and the U.S. Treasury designated Moran Security Group in 2024 for armed security services.
- Crew manifests reveal predominantly non-Russian staff but include two Russian men identified on rosters, while Moran personnel photographed European military installations and show links to Wagner.
- Copenhagen police investigated whether ships launched drones near Esbjerg on September 24, and French forces boarded the Boracay off Brittany while French prosecutors charged the Chinese captain.
- Ukrainian intelligence reports that Moran's public materials seek former GRU and special forces officers, its president Vyacheslav Kalashnikov is a retired FSB lieutenant colonel, and the guards appeared about six months ago.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has developed a shadow fleet composed of hundreds of oil tankers, which transport Russian crude oil from the Baltic and Black Sea ports, generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the Kremlin every year. In recent months, some of these ships would have added suspicious members to the crew.
Putin is using the shadow fleet not only to circumvent sanctions, but also Russian agents on board, which sheds new light on spectacular drone attacks.
Russian personnel linked to the country's military and security services conducted espionage activities in European waters while working clandestinely on ships carrying Russian oil: they reported it exclusively to CNN sources of services... (ANSA)
Russian personnel with links to the country’s armed forces and security services have been involved in espionage in European waters while secretly working on vessels carrying Russian oil, Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources told CNN exclusively. Since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has built the so-called shadow fleet, composed of hundreds of oil tankers. These vessels transport Russian oil from Baltic and Black Sea p…
Russian spies aboard oil tankers in the so-called shadow fleet have been spying from European waters, Ukrainian and Western intelligence sources told CNN.
The Kremlin’s brazen tactics: Russia’s shadow fleet is doubling as a spy asset, intelligence sources say
Russian personnel with links to the country’s military and security services have engaged in spying in European waters while working covertly on ships carrying Russian oil, Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources exclusively told CNN.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 71% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
