Heavy Machine Guns Discovered on Russian LNG Vessel Amid Shadow Fleet Concerns
Estonian authorities found two heavy machine guns and prepared firing positions on a Gazprom-owned LNG carrier, prompting Ukrainian officials to warn that Russia's shadow fleet is being militarized.
Estonian border officials reported that a Gazprom-owned LNG carrier, the Marshal Vasilevskiy, was found carrying two heavy machine guns and specially prepared firing positions. The discovery was highlighted by Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, which said the vessel's crew included a significant number of current or former members of Russia's Federal Security Service, National Guard or Armed Forces, a composition that exceeds typical commercial shipping requirements.
The centre warned that Russia is using its shadow fleet—ships that operate outside standard sanction-evasion controls—not only for energy exports but also as a potential tool for military escalation against Europe. It added that vessels engaged in transporting energy resources may be ready to perform security or military-related tasks, narrowing the line between civilian and state-controlled assets.
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces have previously reported that the Polyphemus operation destroyed Russian radar sites in the Bryansk region, creating a corridor for deep-strike drones.
