SONARROW

May be of interest to:
@itamilradar.com @rfnosblog.bsky.social
@vesselspotter.bsky.social
@kerstin10785berlin.bsky.social
@tendar.bsky.social
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@jennsutt.bsky.social
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🚨🇮🇹🇷🇺 Che bella - spotted today

Italian Navy SPARTACO SCHERGAT ensuring the 3 usual Russian suspects (SEVEROMORSK, SPARTA IV, KAMA) stay where they are supposed to stay.

Out of European waters. 🇪🇺

🚨 New radar imagery this morning

SPARTA IV 🇷🇺 still escorted by SEVEROMORSK 🇷🇺 & KAMA 🇷🇺 off Sardinia 🇮🇹

Same spot as M/V AURELIA a few days ago?

SEVEROMORSK and KAMA still sailing next to SPARTA IV

bsky.app/profile/sona...

Russian Cargo Sparta IV Loiters East of Sardinia After Course Change, Raising Questions on Convoy Intentions Sparta IV’s current behavior stands out against its declared or inferred route. Vessels heading for Gibraltar from the central Mediterranean would normally continue westward, keeping a more direct tra...

I think @itamilradar.com ruled it out.
www.itamilradar.com/2026/02/04/r...

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🛰🇷🇺👻 Radar spotting today

Cargo SPARTA IV, during her waiting pattern off Sardinia 🇮🇹, is still escorted by 🇷🇺 Udaloy destroyer SEVEROMORSK & replenishment tanker KAMA.

Until this morning, SPARTA IV emitted. All 3 have their AIS switched off now.

May be of interest to:
@vesselspotter.bsky.social
@kerstin10785berlin.bsky.social
@pa.nton.cx
@tendar.bsky.social
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@rfnosblog.bsky.social
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As pointed out by @rfnosblog.bsky.social, SPARTA IV did not take the most direct route, taking a detour through the Ionian Sea.

Trying to avoid someone, or wait for someone? 🐙

🚨🚢🇷🇺 Russian military convoy in the Mediterranean: spotted heading back home

Spotted 🛰: cargo ship SPARTA IV, escorted by Udaloy destroyer SEVEROMORSK and tanker KAMA, is en route to Gibraltar.

📍 36.7771, 15.9176

May be of interest to:
@vesselspotter.bsky.social
@kerstin10785berlin.bsky.social
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@rfnosblog.bsky.social
@covertshores.bsky.social

As pointed out by @rfnosblog.bsky.social, SPARTA IV did not take the most direct route, taking a detour through the Ionian Sea.

Trying to avoid someone, or wait for someone? 🐙

🚨🚢🇷🇺 Russian military convoy in the Mediterranean: spotted heading back home

Spotted 🛰: cargo ship SPARTA IV, escorted by Udaloy destroyer SEVEROMORSK and tanker KAMA, is en route to Gibraltar.

📍 36.7771, 15.9176

haha! You're being a bit harsh. They've just signed the agreement, so I assume they're ready for something. Let's give them a few more days 👀

🎁🥚 For those who read until this point: we've released a Metal song on our SUNO account. It's a call for the tankers to stand down. Will you find it? #musint 👀

For those with a bit more patience, the music video will be released soon. 🤘🐙

Despite Russia's adaptations, the ghost fleet is visibly straining. Seizures are accelerating, key buyers are retreating, environmental risks are mounting. 2026 could be the year the shadow fleet becomes financially and operationally unsustainable. Let's keep paving the way.

The lower the net revenue per barrel, the less money flows to Russia's war machine.

The Western goal has evolved: it's no longer just enforcing the G7 $60 price cap. In this counter hybrid strategy, the goal is driving up the total cost of every barrel delivered through exploding logistics (escorts, fuel, insurance, detours, seizures, lost sales...) and security deployments.

EU members would need to reach out to other partners like Egypt for Suez, Morocco/Spain/UK for Gibraltar, Turkey for the Straits.

A proposal: let's extend the Baltic coordination efforts to other chokepoints. In other terms, closing or restricting Gibraltar, Suez Canal, and Bosphorus just as the 14 nations are blocking Baltic & North Sea entry for non-compliant shadow fleet vessels.

🔸 Global maritime traffic heavily disrupted: Abnormal density in the Baltic, long waiting lines, AIS spoofing are SERIOUS navigation and collision risks for civilian shipping.

🔸 Ageing, poorly maintained ships: many vessels are more than 20 years old. Recent incidents (example of the current case of CHARIOT TIDE and PROGRESS drifts) prove these tankers can break apart or worse cause catastrophic oil spills at any moment.

3. REAL-WORLD CONSEQUENCES – SAFETY & POLLUTION RISKS SKYROCKETING

🔸 Black Sea is a full war zone: Ukraine intensifying strikes on ports, terminals and tankers. Tanker insurance premiums up +250% for vessels in the region.

🔸 Switch to Russian flag: Dozens of vessels (at least 26 since December 2025) have re-flagged to 🇷🇺 hoping for Moscow's protection. Spoiler alert: it doesn't always work (example: BELLA-1 / MARINERA seized by USCG in the North Atlantic on 7 January 2026 after a weeks-long pursuit).

🔸 Big route detours: to dodge Western seizures and Ukrainian drone/missile strikes, tankers avoid the Black Sea and the Channel.
Much longer routes = much more fuel burnt and time.

2. RUSSIA'S DESPERATE COUNTER-MOVES

🔸 Military-escorted convoys: shadow fleet tankers increasingly travel in groups protected by Russian navy vessels. The cost is astronomical and stretches an already over-stretched navy even thinner (Black Sea, Baltic, Arctic, Pacific…).

🔸 According to @bloomberg.com , 🇮🇳 dramatically cuts back: 🇷🇺 crude imports to 🇮🇳 at the lowest level in 3 years (~1.1 mb/d in December, potentially dropping toward 600 kb/d in January).
Major refiners have paused purchases. Massive buildup of ghost fleet tankers floating with nowhere to discharge.

Germany already denied a dark fleet vessel in its waters last week.
Big reminder: around 60% of Russia’s seaborne crude exports still transit through this chokepoint.

🔸 Baltic & North Sea lockdown On 27 January 2026, 14 countries (🇧🇪 🇩🇰 🇪🇪 🇫🇮 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇮🇸 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 🇳🇱 🇳🇴 🇵🇱 🇸🇪 🇬🇧) signed a joint declaration: any tanker that changes flag without justification, turns off AIS, or lacks valid documentation will be denied entry to Baltic and North Sea waters.