According to Sweden’s Navy Chief Ewa Skoog Haslum, Russia may be conducting espionage in the Baltic Sea using its “shadow fleet” of oil tankers. This shadow fleet consists of old vessels with opaque ownership and inadequate insurance, often changing flag registrations to circumvent restrictions on oil exports. The Swedish Navy has tracked some of these cargo vessels and found evidence of communications and signals equipment onboard, suggesting they could be used for espionage purposes.
Haslum expressed concern that the use of vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet for signals intelligence could potentially lead to security and environmental issues. Tensions between NATO and Moscow have escalated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Kremlin officials accusing the U.S. of instigating a new World War in coordination with NATO members. The Institute for the Study of War warned that Russia could be preparing for a war with NATO, citing Putin’s reestablishment of the Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts as a potential indicator of conflict preparation.
The re-creation of the Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts was seen as a move to consolidate control over Russian operations in Ukraine in the short term and prepare for potential conflicts with NATO in the long term. Russian military analyst Yuri Fedorov suggested that this restructuring indicated Russia’s readiness for possible conflicts with the Baltic states and NATO. The Swedish Navy’s tracking of vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet has raised concerns about their potential use for espionage activities in the Baltic Sea.
The use of old oil tankers by Russia’s shadow fleet to potentially conduct espionage activities in the Baltic Sea has raised alarms within the Swedish Navy. Haslum’s statements about the presence of communications and signals equipment on board these vessels indicate a concern about their use for hybrid operations and signals intelligence. The ongoing tension between NATO and Russia, fueled by Putin’s actions in Ukraine, has further heightened concerns about potential conflicts and espionage activities in the region.
The shadow fleet’s operation in the Baltic Sea, which involves vessels with opaque ownership and changing flag registrations, has been scrutinized by the Swedish Navy for its potential espionage activities. The documentation of signals intelligence capabilities on some of these cargo vessels raises questions about their true purpose and the potential security implications for the region. As tensions persist between NATO and Russia, concerns about potential conflicts and espionage activities involving the shadow fleet continue to be a focus for military and intelligence officials in the region.
