US and Ukraine target 1,000-vessel 'dark fleet' smuggling sanctioned oil worldwide

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 3 min read 100% complete by Emma BusseyDecember 15, 2025 at 02:12 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

The U.S. and Ukraine are targeting a "dark fleet" of approximately 1,000 oil tankers that are allegedly circumventing sanctions by smuggling Iranian, Venezuelan, and Russian oil worldwide. According to a maritime intelligence analyst, this aging fleet poses geopolitical risks, environmental hazards, and threats to crew welfare due to false flag registrations and poor maintenance. Ukraine has already conducted drone strikes against tankers in the Black Sea, while the U.S. has seized vessels in Venezuela. These actions signal a new strategy to counter "gray-zone aggression" and disrupt the flow of sanctioned oil revenues that fund regimes and the war in Ukraine. The analyst warns of a potential billion-dollar oil spill catastrophe due to the fleet's condition and practices.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Russia 40% Iran 50% Venezuela ×250% Ukraine ×260% United States ×370% Michelle Wiese Bockmann ×280%

Keywords

dark fleet 100% sanctioned oil 90% oil tankers 80% u.s. and ukraine 70% gray-zone aggression 60% maritime safety 60% oil spills 50% maritime intelligence 40% vessel sanctions 40%