Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alleged that Russia is using oil tankers to launch and control drones aimed at European countries, calling for tighter sanctions on Moscow’s energy trade and action to restrict the movement of Russia-linked vessels, particularly the so-called “shadow fleet”. The claim, attributed to Ukrainian intelligence, was made in Zelenskyy’s evening address on 28 September.
In the address, published by the Office of the President, Zelenskyy said it was “especially important” that sanctions hit Russia’s energy revenues and “the entire infrastructure of Russia’s tanker fleet”. He stated that intelligence reports indicated tankers were being used both to launch and to control drones directed “against European countries”, and argued that the Baltic Sea and other waters should be closed to Russian tankers, at least to vessels operating outside standard regulatory oversight.
Zelenskyy linked the allegation to a wider appeal for additional Western measures. He said Ukraine expected “strong steps” from the United States and noted a discussion with President Donald Trump on actions that could pressure Russia and help end the war. He also highlighted continuing talks with European partners on air defence and sanctions policy.
The statement followed a day of extensive Russian strikes against Ukraine. Russia launched one of its largest combined barrages of missiles and drones since the start of the full-scale invasion, with attacks lasting more than 12 hours and causing fatalities and damage in multiple regions, including Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. Poland briefly tightened airspace controls and scrambled aircraft in response to spill-over risks near its border.
The tanker allegation also comes amid heightened European concern about drone activity near critical infrastructure and airports. Earlier in the week, Zelenskyy spoke by phone with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen ahead of the European Political Community summit in Denmark, sharing intelligence about drone sightings in Danish airspace. Danish authorities have recently imposed short-term restrictions on civilian drone use around sensitive sites.
If corroborated, the use of tankers as maritime platforms for unmanned systems would carry several implications for coastal states. First, it would complicate airspace and maritime surveillance, requiring closer integration between naval, coastguard and air defence assets to detect and attribute launches at sea. Second, it would raise enforcement questions for port authorities and flag states concerning access, inspection and insurance. The “shadow fleet” — tankers engaged in opaque ownership structures and non-standard practices, often to move sanctioned commodities — has already drawn scrutiny from European and G7 regulators seeking to restrict Russia’s oil revenues through price caps, denial of services and targeted designations. Additional steps aimed specifically at suspected drone platforms could include denial of port entry, detention for inspection, or targeted sanctions against hulls and beneficial owners, subject to legal thresholds and evidentiary standards.
Zelenskyy’s call to “close” the Baltic and other seas to Russian tankers, at least to those assessed as part of the shadow fleet, would likely require coordinated action among coastal states, insurers and classification societies. Any such measures would need to balance maritime law, freedom of navigation and national security considerations.
