EU blacklists more Russian Arctic vessels
Among the ships included in the EU’s 21st Package of Sanctions against Russia is the Aleksey Kosygin, an LNG carrier that operates on the Northern Sea Route.
"With each round of sanctions, we squeeze Russia’s economy and its capacity to prolong its illegal war," said Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and chair of the Foreign Affairs Council, as she announced the 21st sanctions package on 23 July.
The package includes more than 100 banks and crypto operators, several oil refineries, and more than 50 military-industrial entities, among them key actors involved in the production of Russia’s long-range drones.
On the list are also more than 40 vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet. Several of these ships are frequent visitors to Arctic waters.
Among them is the Aleksei Kosygin (IMO 9904546), an LNG carrier built at Russia’s Zvezda Yard in 2025. The carrier operates for Novatek and its Arctic LNG 2 project. Together with the Christophe de Margerie (IMO 9737187), the Aleksei Kosygin shuttles between Utrenneye in the Gulf of Ob and the Saam FSU in Ura Bay.
On 27 July, the tanker was located in the Bering Sea. It might be en route to the Koryak FSU in Bechevinskaya Bay, Kamchatka, with a shipload of LNG from Arctic LNG 2.
The Aleksei Kosygin is owned by Novatek.
Among the other ships added to the sanctions list is the LNG carrier Luch (IMO 9317315). The 20-year-old tanker was until recently sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone and with an unknown ISM manager (International Safety Management company). In May 2026, the carrier paid a visit to the Kola Peninsula, where it might have loaded LNG at the sanctioned Saam FSU.
The owners of the Luch have changed the ship’s name three times in 2026. In January, the ship was named Akit LNG. Later the same month, the name was changed to Lake LNG, and in March 2026, it received its current name, Luch.
On the updated sanctions list is also the Pioneer (IMO 9255282), a 170-metre-long oil tanker that frequently visits Murmansk.
According to Equasis, an online ship information system, the Pioneer belonged to the Finnish company Neste before 2022 and sailed under the name Futura. Since July 2024, the ship has been owned by Reliable Marine Solutions DMCC, a maritime company registered in Dubai.
Among the sanctioned vessels is the Tavian (IMO 9147447). In early 2026, the tanker was banned from German territorial waters and subsequently sailed north along the Norwegian coast to Murmansk.
As reported by the Barents Observer, the ship was sailing under a false IMO number.
On the updated EU sanctions list is also the Andrei Pervozvanniy (IMO 9255268), an oil tanker involved in deliveries to the Russian east Arctic town of Pevek.
"Russia will only negotiate to end its illegal war and stop killing civilians if it is pressured to do so. Sanctions add to this pressure," Kallas emphasised in a statement.
