US strike hits five Iranian tankers, three tied to Russia's shadow fleet
Ukraine says at least three of five Iranian tankers struck by the US had links to Russia's sanctions-evading shadow fleet. The vessels reportedly carried Russian oil or called at Russian ports.
Ukrainian officials say that at least three of five Iranian tankers recently hit in a US strike had connections to Russia's so-called shadow fleet.
According to the information cited, the vessels either transported Russian oil, docked at Russian ports, or took part in networks used to help evade international sanctions.
What is the shadow fleet
The shadow fleet refers to a collection of tankers used by states and companies to bypass Western-imposed restrictions on oil trade. These ships often change flags, ownership records, or use opaque corporate structures to make tracking difficult.
The reported overlap between Iranian tankers and Russia's shadow fleet points to possible cooperation between the two countries in circumventing sanctions affecting both Iranian and Russian oil exports.
Further details about the specific US strike, including its timing and circumstances, were not provided in the available information.
