Russian ship for the first time openly escorted “shadow fleet” tankers through the English Channel

The Russian Navy has been deployed to protect sanctions-busting vessels, with experts viewing this as a test of the West’s response.

For the first time, a Russian warship has publicly escorted tankers from the “shadow fleet” that evade sanctions as they pass through the English Channel, according to Maritime Domain Awareness analyst Mark Douglas.

The coordinated transit took place on June 16: two sanctioned tankers and a Russian Navy corvette of the Steregushchy (“Boykiy”) type synchronized their routes to simultaneously pass through the strait and head to Russian ports to load oil.

The escort included the Selva (also known as Nostos/Naxos, sanctioned by the UK) and the Sierra (Suvorovsky Prospect), which is subject to UK and EU sanctions. According to S&P, the Selva recently changed its flag from Panamanian to Palauan.

The incident marked the first public evidence that Russia is using its naval forces to directly protect vessels involved in sanctions-evading schemes. Finland’s defense minister has already called such operations “unprecedented,” noting that this is a new level of Kremlin audacity. As USM reported the day before, Danish pilots are helping Russian tankers navigate the straits between the North and Baltic Seas.