The European Union has escalated its efforts to combat the Russian shadow fleet operating in the Mediterranean Sea by transitioning from monitoring to conducting physical inspections of vessels. This announcement was made on June 8 by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a meeting of defense ministers in Nicosia.
As part of Operation IRINI, which aims to ensure maritime security in the Mediterranean, EU member states’ naval forces have been granted the authority to board ships if there are reasonable grounds to suspect violations of international norms or misidentification.
Operation IRINI was established in 2020 under a UN mandate, initially focused on enforcing an arms embargo on Libya. In 2025, its mandate was expanded to include monitoring ships potentially circumventing sanctions, particularly those transporting Russian oil. However, physical inspections did not commence until 2026.
On June 1, an inspection team boarded the sanctioned tanker MV Oneiroi in international waters, marking the first such operation. The vessel is under sanctions from both the EU and Ukraine, with suspicions regarding its use of a false flag and involvement in transporting Russian oil.
Prior to this, the mission primarily relied on observation, radio checks, and inspections with the consent of the ship’s captains.
Ukrainian presidential advisor Vladislav Vlasyuk expressed support for the EU’s enhanced actions, stating that Ukraine has long awaited more decisive measures against the Russian shadow fleet, which has been active since 2023. He emphasized the need for further sanctions on maritime transport of Russian oil and petroleum products within the EU.
However, Vlasyuk noted that the issue of transporting Russian oil via northern maritime routes remains unresolved. These routes, which extend from the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits to the North Sea, are actively used by Russia for oil exports despite efforts by various countries to intervene. Sweden has detained four vessels this year, one of which may be handed over to Ukraine.
The EU has intensified its operations against the Russian shadow fleet in the Mediterranean, allowing naval forces to board vessels suspected of violations. This move comes as Ukraine calls for stronger sanctions on Russian oil transport amid ongoing maritime challenges.
Source: РБК-Україна