Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (DIU) has published information on 20 vessels involved in exporting Russian oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as providing bunkering services to Russia’s sanctioned fleet.
According to DIU, these vessels form part of a logistics network used by the Kremlin to generate revenue for financing its war against Ukraine.
“All of these vessels are currently subject to sanctions imposed by either the United Kingdom or Ukraine, while one is also under US restrictions,” the agency said.
Among the vessels identified is the Russian LNG carrier PORTOVYY (IMO 9246621), designed for transporting and storing liquefied natural gas.
According to DIU, the tanker has belonged to the sanctioned Russian energy company Gazprom since 2021 and has served as a floating gas storage facility at the Portovaya complex in Leningrad region.
“On August 15, 2026, PORTOVYY, carrying Russian LNG, left the Gulf of Finland for the first time since November 2021. The tanker travelled along the Northern Sea Route to the Chinese port of Beihai, where it unloaded its cargo,” DIU reported.
The vessel is currently at the Zhoushan Huafeng Shipyard on China’s Zhoushan Island, which has been designated as its maintenance facility.
DIU also released details about two additional vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet of LNG carriers, which Moscow reportedly acquired through intermediary companies during the spring of 2026.
These include the conventional LNG carriers AVACHA (IMO 9319404) and CHAIVO (IMO 9319404).
AVACHA previously belonged to China’s Jovo Energy but was acquired in spring 2026 by the little-known Tudor Maritime Ltd, registered in the Marshall Islands.
Since June 2026, the vessel has operated under the Russian flag and has been managed by the newly established Russian company Cryoline Management LLC (tax identification number 6500028647).
According to DIU, since August 2026, AVACHA has been transporting LNG from the Utrenny terminal of the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project to China’s Beihai hub.
CHAIVO previously belonged to the Greek shipping company Maran Gas Maritime before also being acquired by Tudor Maritime Ltd.
“In July 2026, the vessel was transferred to the Russian flag and placed under the management of Cryoline Management LLC. Since August, the LNG carrier has been transporting cargo to the port of Beihai from the sanctioned non-self-propelled floating gas storage facility KORYAK FSU, located in the waters of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky port,” DIU stated.
The intelligence agency explained that Russia is seeking to preserve critical revenue from energy exports by both constructing ice-class vessels at domestic shipyards and systematically expanding its shadow fleet through offshore corporate structures.
DIU called on international partners to coordinate their efforts by strengthening oversight of commercial vessel sales, cutting off Russia’s energy revenues used to finance weapons targeting civilians, and preventing sanctioned vessels from receiving maintenance services at foreign shipyards.
“Every Russian tanker transporting sanctioned oil or gas is a legitimate target for international sanctions pressure,” the agency concluded.
