Russia Expands Arctic Oil Shadow Fleet with Dark STS Transfers in Sea of Japan

Russia has conducted two dark ship-to-ship transfers of oil cargoes that transited the Northern Sea Route, signaling an expansion of its shadow fleet logistics to evade sanctions. The transfers occurred in the Sea of Japan, a key chokepoint for Arctic crude bound for Asian buyers. This development underscores the growing complexity of Russian oil supply chains and the challenges for enforcement of Western sanctions.