Greek shippers remain the lifeblood of the Russian economy as they remain the prime carriers of Russian oil effectively sustaining the Russian war economy and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian economy would collapse if Russian oil is not sold, and as Ukraine exerts maximum pressure on Russia with its attacks on the Russian oil industry, Greek shippers are providing with a very irregular window of survival to the Kremlin.
The crucial importance of Greek shippers to the Russian economy does not make them benign economic traders conducting neutral transactions: they are effectively part and parcel of the Russian war-economy and thus, their shipping assets may be legally classified as legitimate military targets.
The Greek government is defending this business with Russia.
Greek shippers are also making heavy use of Malta for their registration and operational activities. Greek shippers have also sold Russian oil to Malta’s biggest oil trader, Alkagesta.
Feature in the photo above is Marianna Latsis, the owner of the large Latsis shipping conglomerate. One of her oil tankers, the Captain Paris (IMO: 9692844), which is Malta-flagged, is currently carrying Russian oil from Ust-Luga to Egypt, a major buyer and trading hub for Russian oil.
Marianna Latsis fancies herself as a philanthropist and an altruist. Her altruism however ends when it clashes with her business interests, especially if these interests involve trading for a genocidal state invading European countries, killing European citizens and even targeting Orthodox religious sites.
Feature photo from Capital.gr.
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