Three of the five tankers struck by the US military on September 8 have direct links to the Russian shadow fleet. This was reported to Ukrinform by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Commissioner for Sanctions Policy for the President of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda.
According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, all three vessels are under sanctions from Ukraine and the US, while one is also subject to restrictions by the EU, UK, Canada, and Switzerland.
“Of the five tankers that the US military struck on September 8, three have a direct connection to the Russian shadow fleet—these are Kaviz, Charminar, and Riesco. These tankers transported Russian oil, docked at Russian ports, and were used to evade sanctions,” said Vladyslav Vlasiuk.
Details regarding the sanctioned vessels
Vladyslav Vlasiuk noted that the Kaviz tanker made voyages to Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk, carried Russian oil and was known to turn off its AIS automatic identification system. The vessel is linked to the company Fractal Marine DMCC, regarded as one of the key operators of the Russian shadow fleet in the early years after oil sanctions were imposed.
The Charminar tanker docked at ports in Ust-Luga, Primorsk, Vysotsk and Saint Petersburg. After the UK imposed sanctions on Fractal Marine, ships associated with it were transferred to other managers, but Russian‑oil operations continued.
In addition, Charminar is tied to a shipping empire controlled by Iranian oil tycoon Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, which handles both Iranian and Russian crude.
The Riesco tanker also moved Russian and Iranian oil, including ship‑to‑ship transfers with other sanctioned vessels.
Escalation of war and oil prices
Meanwhile, the US and Iran have exchanged strikes against each other’s military vessels, leading to a sharp escalation of the war, which has been ongoing for six months. Against the backdrop of these tensions, global oil prices have risen to record levels.
US President Donald Trump stated that the war with Iran will end and gasoline prices will drop sharply “immediately after” the midterm elections.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
