Forty ships accused of being part of a large "shadow fleet" transporting sanctioned oil for Venezuela and others switched their flags to Russia last year. This move aims to gain Kremlin protection against American seizure, reports the shipping intelligence firm Lloyd's List. In the past month alone, at least 17 suspicious vessels joined the Russian registry, compared to 15 in the previous five months of 2025. This sudden rise follows Donald Trump's announcement of a US "blockade" on sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela. The "shadow fleet" refers to ships using deceptive practices to transport goods, including oil and gas, violating sanctions and price caps. Recently, a US-sanctioned ship traveling under a fake name and Cameroonian flag was tracked sailing toward Russia from a refinery in western Turkey. In 2024, 18 such ships shifted to the Russian flag. But Trump's blockade claim appears to have pushed many more to follow. Before US special forces seized the tanker Marinera near Venezuela, it tried to avoid capture by switching from a fake Guyanese flag to a Russian one, even painting the Russian flag image on its side. This did not stop its seizure. Another vessel, M/T Sophia, was also caught and escorted to the US due to "illicit activities." In early December, the US also seized the Skipper tanker off Venezuela for smuggling oil on behalf of Iranian groups. Lloyd's List analyst Bridget Diakun says that by October, 1,423 ships were suspected as part of the shadow fleet moving sanctioned goods for Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. The fleet is growing by about 10 vessels each month. Russia reportedly sent a submarine to escort the Marinera before its capture. The Kremlin warned the White House not to interfere. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia’s shadow fleet moves around 3.7 million barrels of oil daily, about 65% of its seaborne trade, earning up to $100 billion annually. Douglas Alexander, Scotland's secretary of state, defended the UK's role in seizing the Marinera. He said, "This ship is part of the shadow fleet that funds Russia’s war effort in Ukraine." He added that the UK acted in its national interest to stop illegal fueling of conflict and terrorism and willingly helped the US with surveillance and operations. Alexander affirmed the need to work with allies to stop Russia's sanction-busting activities.