Russia’s Oil Tankers Are Now Guarded by Armed Military Personnel
Sweden’s Navy has confirmed what intelligence agencies suspected: armed guards in military uniforms are now aboard Russia’s “shadow fleet” oil tankers operating in European waters.
These aging vessels help Russia circumvent Western sanctions, shipping oil worth hundreds of millions annually. Western intelligence sources also reveal that Russian operatives with military ties have been conducting espionage activities while working covertly on these ships.
This represents a major escalation in how Russia protects its sanctioned oil exports—shifting from covert operations to openly militarized shipping operations.
What do you think this development means for global maritime security and energy markets?
Source: Oil Capital / The Moscow Times / CNN