---
title: "Russia creates new shadow fleet to bypass sanctions, UK Foreign Office says"
description: "The UK Foreign Office stated that Russia is creating a new shadow fleet of LNG tankers to bypass sanctions, prompting London to introduce severe restrictive measures."
date: 2026-10-02T06:04:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russia-creates-new-shadow-fleet-to-bypass-sanctions-uk-foreign-office
tags: [russia, sanctions, shadow-fleet, ukraine-war, lng-tankers, uk]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Russia creates new shadow fleet to bypass sanctions, UK Foreign Office says

![Russian tanker navigating icy Arctic waters](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/02/rossiya-sozdaet-noviy-tenevoy-flot-dla-obhoda-sanktsiy-mid-britanii/rossiya-sozdaet-noviy-tenevoy-flot-dla-obhoda-sanktsiy-mid-britanii-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Russia builds new LNG tankers for Arctic transport and sanctions evasion
- Britain sanctioned vessels including Aleksey Kosygin and Konstantin Posyet
- The EU and UK have collectively targeted over 1,200 shadow fleet vessels

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has issued an official statement indicating that the Russian Federation is actively attempting to establish a dangerous new shadow fleet. According to London, this initiative aims to circumvent international sanctions imposed by Western nations and maintain unhindered funding for the war against Ukraine through energy export revenues.

### Arctic Ambitions and New Tankers

As part of its strategy to bypass the embargo, Russia has built at least two new large-scale vessels, each approximately 300 meters long, designed to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the harsh waters of the Arctic. The British government emphasizes that the Kremlin is requisitioning and deploying additional vessels to strengthen its covert fleet, which increasingly faces NATO interdiction and confiscations.

### London's Sanctions Blow

Official statements from British authorities coincided with the announcement of a new sweeping sanctions package. The restrictions target new LNG tankers Aleksey Kosygin and Konstantin Posyet, commissioned earlier this year. These vessels, with a displacement of 127,555 tonnes, are capable of breaking ice up to two meters thick, allowing Moscow to advance into the Arctic and High North. In addition, the sanctions list was expanded to include the Pyotr Stolypin, alongside tankers Portovy, Chayvo, Avacha, Bebek-E, and Galle Energy.

### Scale of Global Counteraction

Experts note that Moscow's attempts to build a clandestine logistical infrastructure are meeting a fierce response from the Western coalition. As of October 2026, the European Union has sanctioned approximately 670 vessels, banning them from entering European ports. Meanwhile, the UK has taken measures against nearly 600 tankers used to finance Vladimir Putin's war machine.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Россия создает новый "теневой флот" для обхода санкций, - МИД Британии](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-stvoryue-noviy-tinoviy-flot-obhodu-1790920297.html) - Заявление МИД Великобритании о строительстве новых танкеров для обхода санкций.
- ["Теневой флот" Путина разрастается под носом у Запада: как Кремль обходит санкции и бросает ...](https://tsn.ua/ru/svit/tenevoy-flot-putina-razrastaetsya-pod-nosom-u-zapada-kak-kreml-obhodit-sanktsii-i-brosaet-vyzov-nato-3175604.html) - Анализ расширения теневого флота России и вызовов для НАТО.
- [Россия перевела более 100 судов теневого флота под свой флаг из-за давления санкций](https://ua.news/ru/world/rosiia-perevela-ponad-100-suden-tinovogo-flotu-pid-svii-prapor-cherez-tisk-sanktsii) - Сведения о смене флагов судов из-за давления санкций.
- [FT: Россия наращивает "теневой флот" для перевозки СПГ](https://www.dw.com/ru/ft-rossia-narasivaet-tenevoj-flot-dla-perevozki-spg/a-78230820) - Данные Financial Times о наращивании флота для экспорта СПГ.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which new vessels have been hit by British sanctions?
**A:** Sanctions target next-generation LNG tankers Aleksey Kosygin and Konstantin Posyet, as well as Pyotr Stolypin, Portovy, Chayvo, Avacha, Bebek-E, and Galle Energy.

### Q: What is the purpose of the new Russian tankers?
**A:** The vessels, measuring around 300 meters in length, can break ice up to two meters thick and are designed to transport liquefied natural gas across the Arctic.