Albania did not allow a tanker from the Russian “shadow fleet” to enter the port of Durres

Albania has banned the oil tanker HANUMAN, which belongs to the Russian “shadow fleet”, from entering the port of Durres.

This happened on August 29, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Albania has banned the oil tanker HANUMAN (IMO 9295048) from entering the port of Durres, as the GUR previously identified the vessel as belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet”.

The vessel HANUMAN has been under close monitoring by Ukrainian military intelligence for a long time. Back on January 26, 2026, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine included this tanker in the database of the War&Sanctions portal as an active participant in the Russian “shadow fleet”.

“Using high-risk and deceptive shipping practices, such vessels help the Kremlin circumvent international sanctions and direct profits from oil sales to fuel its war machine,” the GUR noted.

In addition, such vessels pose a danger to international shipping and the ecology of entire regions, as they turn off trackers, perform dangerous maneuvers, and mostly do not meet modern environmental standards.

Since the beginning of 2025, the tanker HANUMAN has exported at least 452 thousand tons of Russian fuel. The vessel’s routes ran from the port of Novorossiysk to Turkey, Senegal, the UAE, as well as to a transshipment area near the Italian city of Augusta.

The Russian company OOO Altoprae Marine from Novorossiysk was responsible for the logistics of these voyages. This structure was founded and managed by one of the top managers from the orbit of the sanctioned Russian oligarch Gennadiy Timchenko, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The company is known for its systematic maintenance of tankers of the “shadow fleet”, in particular EVENTIN (IMO 9308065, under sanctions by the EU, Switzerland, the USA, the UK, Canada and Ukraine) and CORDELIA MOON (current name – WALRUS, IMO 9297888, under sanctions by the UK, Canada, the EU, Switzerland, Australia and Ukraine). Both vessels are associated with incidents that threatened environmental safety.

It is also known that OOO “Altoprae Marine” from Novorossiysk is involved in the operations of vessels belonging to OOO “Rosewood Shipping” of Oksana Marchenko, the wife of the traitor Viktor Medvedchuk.

“Albania’s decision not to allow HANUMAN to its port is an important demonstration of international sanctions solidarity. Joint actions of Ukraine and foreign partners consistently block the Kremlin’s ability to use sea trade routes to circumvent sanctions, forcing the aggressor state to be responsible for its actions,” the Defense Intelligence said.

Earlier, USM reported that the EU is preparing the largest sanctions package against the “shadow fleet” and Russian citizens.