There are over a thousand oil tankers at sea that are helping finance Russia's war in Ukraine in plain sight. And they're not just trading in sanctioned oil, they're sabotaging the very infrastructure we all rely on. The UK and EU know about them, they pass right by our coasts, but so far have been unable to stop them at any sort of scale. This is the story of a shadow ship, sailing its way through sanctions, sabotage and subterfuge.
Credits:
Reporter/Producer: Matt Russell
Sound design: Dominic Delargy
Artwork: Lola Williams
Executive Producer: Gary Marshall
Editor: Jasper Corbett
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February 3, 2026