German authorities have said an oil tanker stuck in German waters belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet" intended to avoid sanctions. Germany's maritime authorities (CCME) said on Friday that the Panamanian-flagged ship,

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.

Germany said on Jan. 11 that it had established towing connections with a disabled tanker Eventin, which it said was part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used to avert sanctions, to prevent an oil spill in the Baltic Sea.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said a heavily loaded oil tanker that Germany's maritime emergencies agency had to secure on January 10 in the Baltic Sea is part of the "shadow fleet" that Moscow uses to avoid sanctions on its oil exports.

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

The tanker Eventin, which met with an accident in the Baltic Sea near the German island of Rügen, is being towed east by three tugboats for safety reasons. Source: spokesperson for Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies speaking to DW,

The tanker was sailing from Russia to Egypt with almost 100,000 tonnes of oil when its engine failed and it lost manoeuvring ability.