What happened
Russia has increased the number of ships under its flag by a third to maintain fossil fuel exports amid intensified enforcement against stateless vessels under Western sanctions.
What compliance teams should check
- Re-screen shipping exposure for Russian-flagged vessels
- Review controls for stateless vessel transactions
- Update sanctions compliance procedures
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The number of ships sailing under the Russian flag has grown by a third as Moscow keeps fossil fuel exports flowing despite western sanctionsFinancial Times, 25 Sep 2026, 04:00 UTC, ft.com