Russian electronic warfare broke the navigation systems of a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker in the Baltic. The ship cannot be restored for more than a day

We are not talking about a change in the real route of the vessel, but about anomalies in the transmitted navigation coordinates. The tanker continued to move along its route, but its location on ship tracking maps was displayed with significant errors.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, PATE is involved in the export of Russian oil and petroleum products, bypassing restrictions imposed by the G7 countries and their partners. Ukrainian intelligence claims that the ship was used for transportation from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea, while disabling AIS and manipulating navigation systems in the area of ​​the port of Ust-Luga. Greenpeace also classifies PATE as a shadow fleet, which is used to transport Russian oil under sanctions and poses increased risks to the environment.

Since 2025, sanctions have been imposed against PATE by a number of Western countries. In May 2025, restrictions on the vessel were imposed by Great Britain, in June - by Canada, in July - by the European Union, in August - by Switzerland, in September - by Australia. In December 2025, the tanker was included in the Ukrainian sanctions list.

According to the Ukrainian side, the tanker is associated with the Indian company Orion Ship Management LLP, which is associated with the shadow fleet operator Gatik Ship Management. The latter became one of the largest carriers of Russian oil in 2022–2023 after the introduction of Western sanctions. Ukrainian intelligence claims that Orion Ship Management LLP was part of a group of companies between which ship management was transferred to reduce sanctions risks.

Judging by the data on the ship's movement, it did not pass through the English Channel. Instead, the tanker circled the UK and Ireland via the Atlantic Ocean, taking a significantly longer route. The change in route occurred shortly after the detention of the tanker SMYRTOS (IMO 9389100), which is also associated with the transportation of Russian oil, in the English Channel. On the night of June 14, British military and National Crime Agency (NCA) officers boarded the vessel, after which the tanker was taken control and moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England.

The English Channel remains one of the most important routes for Russian oil exports from Primorsk and Ust-Luga. A significant portion of tankers exporting Russian oil from Baltic ports traditionally pass through this sea corridor. Therefore, any risks of detention, inspection or other restrictive measures can increase the cost of transportation and force shadow fleet operators to use longer routes. So far, as The Insider has found out, only ships flying the current flag of Russia, and not those of third-party jurisdictions, and accompanied by Russian warships pass through the English Channel. The remaining ships changed their routes.

In recent years, researchers have repeatedly reported cases of jamming and spoofing of GPS signals in the Baltic region. Because of this, ships and aircraft may temporarily receive incorrect coordinates or experience other navigation equipment failures.