Defense Intelligence of the MoD has exposed 66 more vessels of the “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation, Iran and Venezuela
28.01.2026 - 15:22
The Ukrainian military intelligence also revealed the activities of tankers from the network of the Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd (Cyprus) and Cymare Navigation FZC (UAE) group of companies.
Data on the newly exposed vessels was published in the “Sea Vessels” section of the War&Sanctions portal.
The intelligence exposed 66 vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet” of Russia, Iran and Venezuela, as well as vessels involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain and the violation of the state border of Ukraine.
In particular, it was possible to reveal the activities of tankers from the network of the Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd (Cyprus) and Cymare Navigation FZC (UAE) group of companies.
“Since 2023 and until now, the tanker fleet of the Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd (Cyprus) and Cymare Navigation FZC (UAE) group of companies has been unhinderedly providing Russia with petrodollars to continue the war against Ukraine, under the guise of registering companies in the member states of the European Union,” the message says.
The GUR noted that the top manager of this group, Nikolay Spichenok, a citizen of the United Kingdom, has worked and continues to work in senior positions in the largest state-owned shipping company of the Russian Federation, PJSC Sovcomflot, as well as in related structures for a long time.
Currently, tankers from the “Sovcomflot orbit”, in particular those involved in the transportation of oil and oil products from/to Venezuela, are massively changing their flags to Russian ones, effectively confirming their involvement in serving the military and economic interests of the aggressor state.
The GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine separately called on captains and crews of “shadow fleet” vessels to avoid cooperation with shadow companies-operators of vessels.
“Unscrupulous shadow fleet operators are the first to disappear as soon as the vessel comes to the attention of law enforcement agencies — leaving the sailors alone with the legal, financial and humanitarian consequences of the crime,” the intelligence service noted.
Read also: Captain of a Russian-flagged shadow tanker detained aboard US Coast Guard ship.
