The Hague – The British military intercepted the oil tanker Smyrtos (IMO 9389100) early Sunday morning, a vessel Western intelligence agencies classify as part of Russia’s so‑called shadow fleet. The tanker attempted to transit the English Channel despite the EU embargo on Russian crude. It is the first time the United Kingdom has carried out such an operation.
The term shadow fleet refers to tankers and cargo vessels operating under alternative flags to evade international sanctions. According to Ukrainian data, 847 ships are directly or indirectly linked to Russia, while another 557 vessels fall into a grey zone of unclear ownership or operational control. The full list is available on Ukraine’s sanctions portal (war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua).
Russian Grey‑Zone Vessels keep visting Dutch Ports
Despite the embargo on Russian oil, ships associated with the shadow fleet continue to call at Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Below is a selection of Russian vessels that visited the Netherlands in the past month. .
14 June 2026 – Rotterdam – Vopak Terminal
Crude Oil Tanker YURIY KUCHIEV (IMO 9804033)
Rotterdam 16×
4 June 2026 – Amsterdam
General Cargo Ship SOFIA (IMO 9245263)
31 May 2026 – Rotterdam
Crude Oil Tanker BORIS SOKOLOV (IMO 9817315)
Rotterdam 15×
22 May 2026 – Rotterdam
LNG Tanker NIKOLAY YEVGENOV (IMO 9750725)
Zeebrugge 2×, Rotterdam 1×
18 May 2026 – Rotterdam
LNG Tanker NIKOLAY URVANTSEV (IMO 9750660)
Zeebrugge 2×, Rotterdam 2×
Why LNG and Gas Condensate Slip Through the Net
The recurring presence of these vessels raises the question: why does the Netherlands continue to look the other way while the war in Ukraine grinds on? The core reason is regulatory. Only Russian crude oil is banned in the EU. Russian LNG and gas condensate are not on the sanctions list, allowing Moscow to continue generating revenue to finance its war.
Gas condensate is a liquid by‑product of natural gas extraction, composed of light hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and benzene. After processing in a refinery, the highly flammable mixture is separated into individual feedstocks used in the petrochemical industry.
Trump Critizing Europe saying: they are funding the war against themselves
Trump criticized the European countries for keeping buying Russian oil and LNG (see video) at his latest United Nations speech in September 2025.
Belgium Also Circumventing the Ban
Belgium faces similar criticism. On 25 May, an oil tanker sailed into Antwerp; the following day, the chemical and oil products tanker departed again.
26 May 2026 – Antwerp
Chemical/Oil Products Tanker OSCAR (IMO 9365386)