Russia uses "Wagner" soldiers on tankers of "shadow" fleet, - CCD
Russia has begun recruiting former Wagner PMC mercenaries to crew its "shadow" fleet, which is used to transport oil in circumvention of international sanctions.
This is reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation, according to Censor.NET.
Details
According to a journalistic investigation, at least 17 Russians without maritime qualifications were identified in the Gulf of Finland as members of the crews of such vessels. Twelve of them have ties to the Wagner Group or Russian military intelligence. Their task is to control the crews and prevent the tankers from being seized or inspected by Western countries.
The Kremlin uses a "shadow" fleet to circumvent sanctions and generate revenue from energy sales to finance the war. At the same time, these vessels are increasingly being used in Russia's hybrid operations, and their presence near ports, submarine cables, and energy infrastructure poses additional risks to European security," the CCD writes.
The involvement of former Wagner Group members indicates that the Kremlin is militarizing its "shadow" fleet, turning it into an instrument of hybrid warfare against Europe. In such circumstances, sanctions alone may not be enough — countering these vessels must become part of the security policy of the EU and NATO, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation.
