Investigations by journalists have shown that the 'shadow fleet' of Russian tankers is actively polluting European seas, violating international standards. This poses a serious danger to the region's ecology. According to researchers, over the past year, five such vessels have already been sanctioned, two of them by the United Kingdom.
Experts calculated that cleaning up an oil spill could cost €1.4 billion if the culprits are not found. This will be a significant financial burden for European taxpayers. A representative of the UK Foreign Office emphasized that Kremlin vessels, by violating safety standards, increase the risk of environmental disasters.
The investigation revealed that Russian oil tankers pose a serious threat to the safety and ecology of European waters, violating international standards and increasing the risk of ecological disasters at the regional level.