Germany is working to secure a drifting Russian oil tanker, believed to be part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” used to fund its war in Ukraine, after it lost control in the Baltic Sea.

Germany has recovered a heavily laden tanker stranded off its northern coast, by towing the stricken vessel. According to the German authorities, the vessel was part of the Russian “phantom fleet”. The 274-meter-long Eventin was sailing between Russia and Egypt with almost 100,

German maritime authorities said Saturday they are towing a disabled oil tanker in the Baltic Sea thought to be part of Russia's clandestine "shadow fleet" used to evade Western sanctions.

An oil tanker believed to be part of Russia’s efforts to evade international sanctions went adrift and had to be towed ashore by a German tugboat.

The Group of Seven democracies have sought to crimp Russia’s oil export earnings that help fund the war against Ukraine

Germany charged that a heavily loaded tanker adrift off its northern coast Friday was part of the "shadow fleet" Moscow uses to avoid sanctions on its oil exports. In response, Russia has relied on tankers with opaque ownership or without proper insurance to continue lucrative oil exports.

The tanker Eventin, part of the Russian "shadow fleet," is drifting north of Rügen due to an engine failure. It is one of the vessels Russians use to bypass sanctions imposed for the invasion of Ukraine and is carrying 99,