Active Conflicts & News Megathread September 01, 2025

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[u/MilesLongthe3rd]

Putin's "shadow" tanker fleet is experiencing wage arrears

https://www.moscowtimes.eu/2025/09/01/natenevom-tankernom-flote-kremlya-nachalis-zaderzhki-zarplat-a173238

The Lesotho-flagged tanker Unity, part of the Kremlin's "shadow" fleet, has been detained in the port of Murmansk. The reason for this was an appeal by the Russian Seafarers' Union, which reported complaints from the crew about wage arrears, non-functioning satellite communications, and serious violations in the ship's documentation.

The port control inspection refused to release Unity until the discrepancies were corrected and the obligations were paid. As of August 13, the total amount of debt to 20 sailors was 4.9 million rubles and 28.5 thousand dollars. The sailors reported that one part of the crew works under contracts with Argo Tanker Group LLC, which is not the shipowner, and the other part works with FMTC ShipCharter LLC. Moreover, some contracts contain references to a collective agreement with the Russian Seafarers' Union, which was not actually concluded. Until August 2025, the tanker sailed under the flag of Gambia. Due to the change of registration to Lesotho, the sailors feared that their contracts were no longer valid and they would not be able to apply to the mutual insurance club (P&I) if the shipowner was unable to pay off their wage arrears. The office of Agro Tanker Group is located in Moscow City, and it itself belongs to ATG Holding JSC and is engaged in the sale of fuel, according to SPARK data.

Since January, the company has been under US sanctions. The tanker Unity transports Russian oil at a price above the established ceiling. In 2025, the vessel fell under sanctions from the UK, the European Union, Australia, Canada and Switzerland as part of Russia's "shadow fleet". Meanwhile, the total wage arrears in Russia are growing. According to Rosstat, at the end of July this amount doubled year-on-year, increasing from 523 million rubles to 1.04 billion rubles. The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) cited a figure of 1.7 billion rubles (+25% year-on-year). According to the organization, the number of workers at risk of dismissal also increased by 1.5 times and the number of jobs in idleness by a third. The FNPR named the high key rate of the Central Bank, which affects the ability of enterprises to take out loans for operating expenses, and the multiple reduction in the volume of orders as the main reason for the growth of wage arrears