August M
The global battle over energy and sanctions usually plays out in courtrooms and international ports.
But as major powers tighten trade routes, the rhetoric surrounding these economic standoffs can take a truly explosive turn, the Ukrainian state-owned media outlet United24Media reports.
A wild proposal
A prominent Russian politician has floated a terrifying idea to stop Western nations from seizing Moscow’s assets. United24Media reported that the plan targets secret vessels. Russia relies heavily on these vessels to quietly bypass global trade restrictions.
Russian Senator Dmitry Rogozin made his shocking comments on June 14. The official, who once ran Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, thinks Russian oil tankers should carry built-in explosives to prevent foreign capture.
The senator believes a deliberate eco-disaster would scare off Western coast guards. He stated: “If a couple of them explode right under their noses with an oil spill and the corresponding environmental consequences, they will immediately come to their senses.”
Channel showdown
This extreme proposal followed a dramatic maritime raid in the English Channel. The UK Ministry of Defence and Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that British teams ran a six-hour overnight operation on June 14 to detain a tanker named the Smyrtos.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as HUR, identified the Cameroon-flagged vessel as part of Russia’s shadow fleet. The ship had been moving oil products despite heavy international sanctions.
The tanker had been playing hide-and-seek for days. It sat in the Gulf of Finland with its tracking systems deactivated before heading toward Egypt, only to be intercepted by British forces.
Shadowy global network
According to HUR, the Smyrtos has been blacklisted by Canada, Switzerland, the European Union, and the UK. Moscow depends on hundreds of these aging ships to keep its economy moving.
The scale of this hidden fleet is enormous. The New York Times reported that Russia’s shadow fleet grew to about 940 vessels by early 2025, accounting for roughly 17 percent of global tankers.
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence shows this network keeps Moscow’s trade alive. Ukrainian intelligence estimates these ships carry 75 percent of Russian seaborne oil exports, making them prime targets for Western blockades.
Sources: United24Media, The New York Times, S&P Global Market Intelligence
