On 30 August, EU forces, as part of the IRINI naval operation, stopped the oil tanker MV SUN in the Mediterranean to verify its flag. The vessel is suspected of sailing under a false flag in breach of international maritime law.
This was reported by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
According to her, MV SUN is already the sixth suspected vessel from Russia’s “shadow fleet” to have been stopped by EU maritime operation forces in recent months.
Kallas stressed that tackling the “shadow fleet” will remain on the agenda of the EU defence ministers’ meeting in Ireland.
“The illegal sale of oil from shadow fleet vessels is a critically important lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine,” she said.
Illegal oil sales from shadow fleet ships are a critical lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and we’ll continue to cut them off.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) August 31, 2026
The oil tanker MV SUN, suspected of sailing under false flag in breach of international maritime law, was boarded on 30 August in the Mediterranean… pic.twitter.com/6HNcOYNcdh
EU measures are aimed at limiting Russia’s ability to earn revenue from oil exports and use it to finance the war against Ukraine.
- In July this year, EU forces, as part of stepped-up sanctions pressure on Russia, detained the oil tanker MV SOUTH STAR, which used a fake flag to carry out voyages.