Updated: April 14, 2022 (Originally published March 6, 2014)
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released the above image today showing the Russian Navy’s Ochakov, a Kara-class cruiser, which was intentionally sunk last night to blockade the Ukrainian Navy ships located in Novoozerne.
Russian Federation ships blocking the Ukrainian ships in Donuszlav lake, including the missile cruiser “Moskva,” departed just before midnight on 5 March, then towed the Ochakov, filled her with water, and then sunk her in 9-11 meters of water depth between the North and South spits at the entrance to Lake Donuzlav. This effectively blocks any means for Ukraine’s warships to leave the lake through the narrow channel.
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Western naval interdictions are forcing sanctioned oil tankers out of fraudulent flags and back under the Russian registry, marking a major shift in how Moscow controls its shadow fleet as enforcement moves from paperwork to physical boardings.
U.S. forces have seized the sanctioned crude oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel more than 10,000 miles from the Caribbean, marking one of the longest maritime enforcement actions yet in Washington’s expanding crackdown on Russia’s shadow fleet.
Singapore has issued its clearest warning yet over the growing presence of sanctioned “shadow fleet” tankers operating near the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, calling for stronger international cooperation as aging vessels exploit legal grey zones just beyond territorial waters.
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