Russia is throwing scarce units to protect the “shadow fleet,” — ATESH
16.07.2026 - 11:53
To cover tankers and gas tankers, the occupiers plan to use operators of the Rubicon UAV center, the 51st Air Defense Division, and the Black Sea Fleet’s anti-aircraft regiment.
Russia is transferring regular military personnel and scarce units to protect the “shadow fleet” in the Black and Azov Seas. This was reported by an agent of the partisan movement “ATESH” from the Black Sea Fleet headquarters.
To cover oil tankers and gas tankers, the occupiers plan to use operators of the Rubicon UAV center, the 51st Air Defense Division, and the 1096th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Black Sea Fleet. Up to three servicemen will be assigned to each tanker. To repel attacks, they will be armed with twin machine guns, MANPADS, and anti-aircraft drones.
In this way, the enemy is trying to secure the fleet, with the help of which it circumvents sanctions and earns money to finance the war. These same vessels are now supplying fuel to military facilities in the occupied territories.
The reason for the command’s concern is obvious. In just 10 days, the Defense Forces have hit more than 136 Russian tankers that were illegally in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone.
“We are recording all movements of air defense forces and transmitting the coordinates to the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The shadow fleet will go to the bottom after the Black Sea fleet,” ATES stressed.
As USM wrote the day before, against the backdrop of Ukraine’s effective strikes on Russia’s oil refining infrastructure, the Kremlin has activated “gray” schemes for refining petroleum products.
