On February 21, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees enacting decisions of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) introducing new sanctions packages, including measures targeting Russia’s shadow fleet.
Under the decision, sanctions have been imposed on 225 captains of vessels involved in exporting Russian petroleum products. The individuals listed are citizens of 11 countries, including Russia, India and the Philippines.
Monitoring of activities in the Black Sea, Red Sea and Baltic Sea found that these captains commanded vessels identified as part of Russia’s shadow fleet and transported oil in circumvention of sanctions imposed by the European Union, the G7 and other countries.
According to the official statement, 188 of the tankers associated with these captains are already under sanctions by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Advisor and Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, stated that Ukraine continues to advocate for individual sanctions against tanker captains. He noted that systematic work aboard a sanctioned tanker constitutes sufficient grounds for consequences and emphasized the need to deter cooperation with Russian oil exports, which he described as direct financing of the war.
