Russia is deploying mercenaries and mounting heavy machine guns on its shadow fleet tankers in a bid to deter Western states from conducting inspections.
The move marks a significant escalation in the militarization of civilian maritime assets, aimed at shielding Moscow’s oil export revenues following recent attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
The deployment of armed personnel on commercial vessels raises serious safety and legal concerns for international shipping.
It signals a shift from passive evasion tactics to active armed resistance against regulatory scrutiny, potentially complicating insurance coverage and routing decisions for global carriers operating in adjacent waters.
This development follows reports that a Gazprom-operated gas tanker was fitted with heavy machine guns, marking the first known instance of such weaponry on a civilian Russian vessel.
The Kremlin appears determined to prevent further revenue losses after Ukrainian forces targeted key energy facilities, viewing the shadow fleet as a critical lifeline for its war economy.