The freighter “Boracay”, which is part of Putin’s shadow fleet, in a photo from the online ship platform Vesselfinder. (archive image)Image: Screenshot: vesselfinder.com
Russia’s shadow fleet is one of the Kremlin’s most valuable assets – and also a mystery. Now research has provided an insight into the black box. It’s about Starlink, crypto and Ukrainians on board.
April 3, 2026, 3:15 p.mApril 3, 2026, 3:15 p.m
Darius Rimkus /
Actually, as a result of the war in Ukraine, Russia should be able to export much less oil and gas due to international sanctions. The effect is definitely noticeable, the Finnish think tank Crea said in February that Russia’s export revenue had fallen 19 percent in a year and was 27 percent below pre-invasion levels.
Nevertheless, Russia has recorded far fewer losses in recent years than hoped, and Russia’s oil business continues to flourish – this is largely due to the Russian shadow fleet. With this, Russia continues to transport oil and gas via opaque detours, including to the EU.
This is possible thanks to a sophisticated system based on the use of Starlink satellites, opaque job offers and payments in cryptocurrencies. This is what research by the “Kyiv Independent” has revealed.
Russia’s shadow fleet: Starlink continues to be used
The Russian shadow fleet is therefore operated with modern Western technology – including Starlink satellites. According to the research of the «Kyiv Independent» The ships use the satellite system to maintain communication between the tankers and their owners.
The use of the satellite network is particularly interesting because the associated company SpaceX, which was founded by Elon Musk, announced at the beginning of February that it would block Starlink for Russia’s armed forces.
Nevertheless, Russia apparently manages to provide Starlink to the Shadow Fleet. Four sailors, including two Ukrainians, who worked on Shadow Fleet ships confirmed the use of Starlink.
One of them explained to the “Kyiv Independent” that middlemen could have bought the associated antennas. These can then land on the ships via detours, where they then receive the associated signal.
«As far as I know, it is difficult to buy Starlink in Ukraine. Elsewhere in the world you can simply order it and receive it in the mail»the person further explained. After all, it is not a weapon; anyone can buy the satellites.
While the crew has limited access to Starlink, the captain remains fully connected and can communicate directly with owners and intermediaries.
Shadow Fleet: Sailors are recruited unknowingly
The recruitment of sailors for the Russian shadow fleet is carried out in a manner that is just as opaque as the operation of the ships themselves. According to the Kyiv Independent, job offers often suddenly appear in WhatsApp, Telegram or Instagram groups, accompanied by brief information about the position and departure date. Sometimes the invitation comes directly from former colleagues.
A Ukrainian crew member reported:
«I didn’t know that we were recruited into the Russian Shadow Fleet because I didn’t even know who recruited us. Everything was done through phone calls, we got documents, signed them, sent them back and got tickets.”
Communication takes place via British telephone numbers, which further obscures the origin of the offers. Job interviews are rare, and those who can provide the necessary documents are often hired straight away.
Crypto as a means of payment on Shadow Fleet ships
The prospect of a regular income seems to be enough for many seafarers to ignore questions about the origin of their orders.
Speaking of income: Another element of the Shadow Fleet is the payment of crew members. According to research by the Kyiv Independent, remuneration is often made in cryptocurrencies.
The monthly salaries would therefore be between 2,000 and 3,000 US dollars, while the operating costs of a single ship with around 30 crew members would be around 120,000 US dollars per month.
Payments in cryptocurrencies would also help to conceal the origin of the funds and the connection to the shadow fleet.
Ukrainian sailors on Russian ships
Particularly explosive: Ukrainian sailors also work on the ships of the Russian shadow fleet – sometimes consciously, sometimes unknowingly.
One example is the Bella-1, a tanker that was pursued and ultimately confiscated by the US Coast Guard off the coast of Venezuela. According to the Kyiv Independent, 17 of the 28 crew members were Ukrainians. Two of them are now being investigated by the Ukrainian security service SBU.
The crew members would claim that they knew nothing about the ship’s illegal activities. «Maybe when you’re captain you’ll know more. But if you are a normal crew member, what can you know?” said one sailor, according to the portal. The contracts are worded vaguely and the final destinations of the trips are often unclear.
The Bella-1 attempted to conceal its identity during the U.S. Coast Guard’s pursuit, including by changing its name and flag. The crew was forced to destroy documents and delete communications, according to the sailors interviewed.
The revelations by the “Kyiv Independent” once again underline how opaque the operations of the Russian shadow fleet are – and how cleverly planned.