Russia has begun forming a reserve “shadow fleet” of tankers to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Kremlin’s main goal is to prepare in time for large-scale European Union sanctions that are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.
The new restrictions will completely block access for Russian vessels to European terminals. This is forcing Moscow to seek alternative routes in order to preserve its current export volumes of gas and maintain state budget revenues at any cost.
Russia is using anonymous structures and complex ownership chains to buy up old tankers around the world. Over the past five months, six aging LNG carriers have entered the Russian market. In addition, from February 2024 to May 2025, seven similar vessels were acquired through shell companies.
In the first quarter of 2026, Russia repurchased four gas carriers—ORION, KOSMOS, MERKURYY, and LUCH—from a Middle Eastern owner. Each of them is over 19 years old, and all are already being used to transport Russian liquefied natural gas.
The total size of Russia’s “shadow LNG fleet” has now grown to approximately 23 vessels.
The use of worn-out, aging ships without proper international insurance and inspections allows Russia to partially bypass restrictions. However, experts note that such practices significantly increase environmental risks during gas transport and raise theRussian logistical costs.
