Russia Quietly Builds Shadow LNG Tanker Fleet as Europe Prepares a Full Ban in 2027

Russia is quietly expanding a shadow fleet of LNG tankers to route Russian gas shipments around impending European restrictions. Over recent months, at least eight secondhand LNG vessels were acquired and redirected, raising Russia’s specialized LNG fleet to about 25 ships, including new builds delivered by the Zvezda shipyard. The expansion aims to bypass a 2027 EU ban on Russian LNG imports that is designed to limit revenue tied to Russia’s war effort.