"Red Sea Incidents Expose Risks of Russia's Oil Export Strategy"

Recent incidents in the Red Sea involving Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting ships carrying Russian oil highlight the risks faced by Russia's "dark fleet" of oil tankers, which transport sanctioned Russian oil with opaque ownership and frequently changing vessel names and flag registrations. The rebels targeted a ship "mistakenly" listed with a UK owner, and have been attacking commercial ships in retaliation for Israel's bombings in Gaza, leading to disruptions in global shipping routes. Some ships are identifying themselves as linked to Russia or rerouting to avoid being targeted.