Russian shipping as defensive and justified (Российское судоходство как оборонительная и оправданная мера)

The narrative frames Russian LNG tankers equipped with heavy weapons and the 'shadow fleet' as defensive and justified responses to Western sanctions and military pressure, while omitting key details that contradict this framing. It emphasizes the perceived legitimacy of these actions while downplaying or ignoring the broader context of international law violations and Western countermeasures. This diverges from Western coverage which highlights the provocative nature of these actions and their role in evading sanctions.

Member events

Recurring omissions

The tanker is used for regasification of LNG in the Baltic Sea region
The weapons are 12.7mm machine guns of the 'Kord' type
The vessel is operated by Gazprom
The placement of weapons is speculated to be for defense against Ukrainian maritime drones and as a signal to the West
The tanker was photographed by Estonian border service in May 2026
The tanker is the only floating regasification unit in Russia
The machine guns are positioned 50% for defense against Ukrainian naval drones and 50% as a signal to the West
The machine guns are described as a rare case of civilian ship armed with heavy weaponry
The French military used a helicopter to board the tanker and deploy special forces
The tanker Deliver was previously flagged under the flag of Madagascar before being reflagged to Cameroon