Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR) has identified 17 tankers and their captains — citizens of Russia, China and India — involved in supplying Russia with more than 562,000 tonnes of petrol and diesel fuel between July and September 2026.
According to the intelligence service, the main “gateways” for fuel arriving from India via transhipment in Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and South Korea are Vitino/Kandalaksha, Murmansk, Vysotsk, St Petersburg, Nakhodka and Vladivostok.
SINO FAITH (IMO 9375575, under the Panamanian flag), under the command of Chinese captain Gong Yanjun, delivered almost 32,000 tonnes of petrol in July from the Moroccan port of Tanger Med to the port of Murmansk.
AURORA (IMO 9258351, under the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe), under the command of Chinese captain He Qingshan, delivered more than 30,000 tonnes of petrol in July from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port of Vysotsk.
TULU (IMO 9313462, under the flag of Barbados), under the command of Indian captain Sarbjit Singh, delivered almost 37,000 tonnes of petrol in August from Tanger Med to the port of Vysotsk.
The import of petrol from Morocco, including by the tanker TULU, involved the Russian company JSC “Marine Agency ‘Novotorik’” (TIN 2304031438), which is part of a network of companies linked to the sanctioned Russian PJSC Lukoil, as well as Horizon Tangiers Terminals SA and Kairo International Limited.
The tanker IVY PEARL (IMO 9252448), under the command of captain Kang Huiye, delivered almost 32,000 tonnes of petrol in late August from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port in St Petersburg.
DERIN (IMO 9290646, under the flag of Barbados) delivered 31,000 tonnes of fuel in late August from the Moroccan port of Tanger Med to the port of St Petersburg.
The Russian company LLC “Global Marine Agency” (TIN 7801749027), incorporated on 14 April 2026, was involved in servicing this shipment.
WENDRIX (IMO 9299886, Equatorial Guinea flag, under EU, Swiss, UK, Ukrainian and Canadian sanctions) called at the port of Vysotsk in early September 2026 to unload more than 29,000 tonnes of petrol delivered from the Turkish port of Mersin. The Russian company LLC “Company ‘Pelagus’” was involved in supplying this cargo.
In August 2026, the tanker CHONGCHON (IMO 9294123, Equatorial Guinea flag, under EU, Swiss, Ukrainian, UK and Canadian sanctions), under the command of captain Varudkar Vijay Vinayakrao, an Indian citizen who is under Ukrainian sanctions, delivered more than 30,000 tonnes of petrol from the port of Yeosu to the port of Vladivostok.
PEGAS (IMO 9163776), under the command of Russian captains Roman Vladimirovich Bakanov and Yevgeny Anatolyevich Dymov, delivered almost 22,000 tonnes of diesel fuel in August 2026 from the port of Ulsan to the port of Nakhodka.
The cargo was subsequently transported by the tanker PEGAS to Magadan and Vladivostok.
ARAM KHACHATURIAN (IMO 9163752), under the command of Russian captains Vladimir Mikhaylovich Mozhayev and Umed Khabibulayevich Ganiyev, delivered three consignments of diesel fuel totalling more than 35,000 tonnes from the port of Ulsan to the port of Nakhodka in July–August 2026. In addition, in early August 2026 ARAM KHACHATURIAN delivered a trial batch of JET A-1 aviation fuel from Ulsan to Nakhodka.
It is likely that this batch was brought to Russia for laboratory analysis, sample testing and to assess the possibility of certification under Russian RT or TS-1 standards.
In the supply chain to Russia for diesel fuel and samples of JET A-1 aviation fuel by the tankers ARAM KHACHATURIAN and PEGAS, the private Hong Kong company Golden Centre Trading Limited (CR No. 2486074, BRN No. 67258688) was involved, as well as the Russian companies LLC “Turey” (TIN 2540273648) and LLC “Morskoy Briz” (TIN 2508126864).
LAYLA (IMO 9306809, Cameroon flag, under EU, Swiss, Ukrainian, UK and Canadian sanctions), under the command of captain Wu Yongjian, a Chinese citizen, delivered a total of more than 57,000 tonnes of diesel fuel from Ulsan to Vladivostok in late July and mid-August 2026. This strategic cargo was ordered by the Russian oil and gas producing holding company JSC “Independent Oil and Gas Company” (TIN 7704233903, under Ukrainian sanctions), which supplies fuel worth billions to LLC “TZK-AERO” (TIN 2724152185).
In turn, LLC “GTZK-AERO”, on the basis of state contracts, meets the needs of the armed forces, the FSB and other military formations of the Russian Federation.
The company Caliph Energy Trading FZE (UAE) and the Russian company LLC “Trans Marine” were also involved in supplying diesel fuel to Russia.
ZALIV ANIVA (IMO 8802806, Russian flag), under the command of Russian captain Novikov Vasiliy Alekseyevich, delivered almost 3,000 tonnes of diesel fuel in August 2026 from the port of Kunsan (Gunsan) to Vladivostok.
Russian companies LLC “Imtreyd” (TIN 2543013630), LLC “Parus” (TIN 2537135341), JSC “DNII MF” (TIN 2536017088), as well as the foreign company Ivory Management Company Limited, took part in supplying this batch of diesel fuel.
It is known that within Russia’s state procurement system LLC “Imtreyd” is a supplier to Russian state budget institutions — FSBSI “VNIRO” (TIN 7708245723) and FSBI “Morspassluzhba” (TIN 7707274249).
These institutions actively cooperate with secret units of the Russian Ministry of Defence responsible for nuclear technical support, security and operation of the aggressor state’s nuclear arsenal, as well as for deep-sea research, intelligence activity targeting global underwater infrastructure, and the planning of deep-sea sabotage and intelligence missions in Russia’s interests.
JSC “DNII MF” is affiliated with the FAI “Russian Maritime Register of Shipping”, and with the Russian government represented by the Ministry of Transport.
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The main customers for JSC “DNII MF” services are Russian state agencies, major transport and logistics companies, and maritime industry enterprises of the aggressor state.
In late August 2026, the tanker BONIFACY (IMO 9284726, Cameroon flag, under UK, EU, Swiss, Canadian, Australian and Ukrainian sanctions) delivered almost 30,000 tonnes of fuel from Egypt, the Port Said area, to the port of Vysotsk — to an oil terminal owned by the sanctioned PJSC Lukoil.
In early September, the tanker ANTEY (IMO 9353137, Palau flag) delivered almost 14,000 tonnes to the port of Vladivostok of a product needed to raise petrol’s octane rating, from the Chinese port of Huinzhou.
In August 2026, the seaport of Vitino received more than 194,000 tonnes of petrol from India, Turkey and Morocco. The fuel was delivered by tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet:
- GARNET (IMO 9577094, under EU, Swiss, US, Canadian, UK and Ukrainian sanctions) under the flag of Oman;
- MANTA (IMO 9424651, under EU, Swiss, UK, Ukrainian and Canadian sanctions) under the flag of Sierra Leone;
- TALISMAN (IMO 9292060, under US, EU, Swiss, UK, Ukrainian and Canadian sanctions) under the Russian flag;
- BEAST (IMO 9290921, under UK, EU, Swiss, Canadian, Australian and Ukrainian sanctions) under the flag of Sierra Leone;
- CHEM NIKOLAS (IMO 9374416) under the flag of Liberia.
In September 2024, the Russian government included the port of Vitino within the boundaries of the port of Kandalaksha and banned foreign and nuclear-powered vessels from calling there. Despite the official ban, the port primarily receives vessels under foreign flags carrying cargo strategic for Russia — fuel.
GARNET, under the command of Russian captain Pposmitny Nikolay Borisovich, who is under Ukrainian sanctions, delivered more than 57,000 tonnes of petrol from the Vadinar refinery of Nayara Energy to Vitino in early August this year; 49.13% of the refinery is controlled by the sanctioned Russian PJSC Oil Company Rosneft.
GARNET took on this strategic cargo in the Damietta area near Egypt via a ship-to-ship operation (ship-to-ship) from the shadow tanker AGNI (IMO 9314167, under UK, Canadian, EU, Swiss, Ukrainian and Australian sanctions).
After the exposure of grey schemes for importing fuel from India, AGNI not only changed its name to CYCLONE and its flag to Russia’s, but also continues to deliver petrol from the Vadinar refinery of Nayara Energy to the transhipment area near Egypt.
In mid-August 2026, the Russian shadow tanker MANTA, under the command of Russian captain Oblyadruk Vyacheslav, delivered almost 37,000 tonnes of petrol from the Turkish port of Mersin to Vitino.
The Russian company LLC Marine Agency “Inflot”(Murmansk) was involved in importing petrol by this tanker.
TALISMAN, under the command of Russian captain Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Tulupnikov, who is under Ukrainian sanctions, delivered almost 36,600 tonnes of petrol from the Vadinar refinery of Nayara Energy to Vitino on 21 August 2026.
HUR established that on 28–29 July 2026 TALISMAN took on a cargo of petrol in the Damietta area near Egypt via a ship-to-ship operation (ship-to-ship) from the tanker PHOTON (IMO 9333424), which sails under the Cameroon flag and is under UK, EU, Swiss, Canadian, New Zealand, Ukrainian and Australian sanctions.
In turn, PHOTON was loaded with petrol from the Vadinar refinery on 12 July 2026.
GARNET, TALISMAN and PHOTON belong to the fleet of the sanctioned Russian PJSC Sovcomflot — Russia’s largest state shipping company, which services and supports offshore hydrocarbon production and transports Russian oil, petroleum products and liquefied gas. The main charterers of its vessels are Russia’s largest oil and gas companies and traders.
BEAST (IMO 9290921, Sierra Leone flag, under UK, EU, Swiss, Canadian, Australian and Ukrainian sanctions) unloaded almost 37,000 tonnes of petrol from the Vadinar refinery of Nayara Energy at Vitino in late August, received via a ship-to-ship operation near Damietta/Port Said in Egypt.
The tanker CHEM NICHOLAS (IMO 9374416) delivered almost 27,000 tonnes of petrol to Vitino in late August. According to available information, this cargo was received in an area near Ceuta from the tanker ZAPHIRA (IMO 9587831) via a ship-to-ship operation. ZAPHIRA loaded fuel in the Turkish port of Mersin.
Tankers from the shadow fleet delivering fuel to the port of Vitino are handled by the Russian company LLC “Altoprae Marine” (TIN 4707044835), incorporated in Kingisepp and affiliated with top managers linked to the sanctioned oligarch and Putin associate Gennady Timchenko. The founder and director of this Russian company is Aleksandr Nikolayevich Gordeyev. Gordeyev worked in the management of companies in Timchenko’s Gunvor group and was also a member of the board of directors of Rosneftbunker together with Timchenko’s son-in-law — former Russian transport minister Gleb Frank — executives of other companies owned by the billionaire, and Viktor Yakunin, a Gunvor employee and the son of Vladimir Yakunin, a Putin associate from the KGB and former head of Russian Railways.
It is known that among the clients of LLC “Altoprae Marine” (TIN 4707044835) in 2024 was the Hong Kong oil trader Blackford Corporation, which traded oil from the sanctioned PJSC Surgutneftegaz.
The ties between the Russian oligarch Timchenko and the oil company PJSC Surgutneftegaz have a long history and are one of the most closed yet key elements in the formation of his capital. They are based on many years of exporting Surgutneftegaz petroleum products, control over trading companies, and long-standing personal closeness to Putin.
A company with the same name, LLC “Altoprae Marine” (TIN 2315996396), is registered in Novorossiysk. It is owned and run by another former Timchenko manager — Mikhail Kasatkin. From 2009 until the end of 2013, he worked in the Russian branches of companies in Timchenko’s Gunvor group, which handled logistics and oil transhipment in Russian ports.
LLC “Altoprae Marine” (TIN 2315996396) is widely involved in servicing the network of tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet. In particular, this concerns the tanker EVENTIN (IMO 9308065), which belongs to the shipping empire of the sanctioned Iranian oil magnate and key weapons supplier to Russia, Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, as well as the tanker CORDELIA MOON (current name WALRUS, IMO 9297888), known for an incident in late 2024 when a breakdown blocked the Bosphorus Strait in both directions.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s domestic fuel crisis, the country is increasing imports of petroleum products, adapting to complex and costly logistics chains.