Sanctioned Ships Join Russia, Media Claims Moral Outrage
A recent Guardian piece, citing Lloyd's List, expresses alarm that 40 'shadow fleet' ships moving sanctioned oil were reflagged to Russia last year, with 17 in the last month. The implication, of course, is that Russia provides 'protection' from American seizure. One could almost feel for the poor sanctioned vessels, caught between a rock and… well, another rock. It’s almost as if the 'free
market' isn’t so free when naval power dictates trade routes. Weapons. Oil. Blockades. The 'rules-based order' always seems to apply most stringently to those who aren't writing the rules. One might wonder: is it truly 'shadowy' to seek protection from a superpower that regularly unilaterally sanctions vessels and nations, or is it just the inevitable outcome of a system built on coercion? When
the US Navy patrols every major shipping lane, perhaps securing 'protection' becomes less about shadowy dealings and more about surviving an economic chokehold. The 'shadow fleet' narrative conveniently ignores the elephant-sized fleet casting the actual global shadow.