Russian Warship Orders Greenpeace to Stay Away from Sanctioned Tanker

Greenpeace and sanctioned crude oil tanker — Greenpeace says it was observing and photographing the tanker (© Bente Stachowske / Greenpeace)

Greenpeace activists are reporting an incident on June 30 when one of its teams was photographing a sanctioned crude oil tanker. The tanker Kira K (115,878 dwt) was outbound laden from Primorsk, Russia, and it turns out it was being escorted by a Russian corvette.

The Greenpeace team, with activists from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Ukraine, contends they were just observing the passage of the tanker and photographing it. The tanker, which is registered in Panama, has been sanctioned by the UK and EU for its involvement in the Russian oil trade. It has been identified in the past as making oil deliveries to China.

The vessel was traveling in the German EEZ, and Greenpeace documented that a German Coast Guard vessel was also observing the passage.

Russian warship in the background of Greenpeace's photo (© Bente Stachowske / Greenpeace)

The Russia Steregushchiy class corvette Soobrazitelny (531) was reported to have approached at high speed, according to Greenpeace’s Nordic head of investigations, Maik Marahrens. He said the vessel communicated with the German Coast Guard ship, demanding the Greenpeace activists keep their distance.

Marahrens said the Russian crew also broadcast over the radio, “Here speaks Russian warship 531, stay away from the Kira K!”

Greenpeace was taking photos of the activists in the inflatable boats displaying protest placards. The tanker proceeded without incident, and the German vessel Bayreuth continued to observe the situation.

The incident comes after another Russian warship reportedly fired warning shots at a British pleasure boat that it believed was coming too close in the English Channel. The reports indicated that the Russian warship was drifting in the Channel when the incident took place.

Greenpeace contends that shadow fleet tankers have changed their route and are now regularly sailing along the German coast. Between March and June 2026, Greenpeace reports 42 tankers out of a total of 136 tankers passed along the German coast near the island of Rügen. Greenpeace said there were no tankers carrying Russian oil in this area last year. It also said that 31 tankers entered Germany’s 12-mile territorial zone.

The Greenpeace activists were calling for the Baltic countries to strengthen control and practical implementation of sanctions on the shadow fleet.