The vessel is involved in the transportation of russian oil from russian ports to third countries. The vessel has been repeatedly detected by the Monitoring Group of the Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies and the BlackSeaNews editorial board in the export of russian crude oil.
The owner and manager of the vessel is Tirad Shipping Inc (Mauritius), whose fleet consists of this vessel alone. This company is the next owner and commercial manager of the oil tanker of the so-called “shadow” fleet involved in the transportation of russian oil (oil products). The tanker's previous managers were the Turkish company Unic Tanker Ship Management, which managed oil and chemical tankers received from the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the “shadow” fleet, and Gatik Ship Management itself. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the Indian company Gatik Ship Management has become the largest carrier of russian oil and has been used to operate the russian “shadow” fleet under sanctions.
The constant change of owners and managers of vessels to avoid sanctions and conceal the true beneficiaries of the vessels is a typical phenomenon for the so-called “shadow” fleet involved in the russian oil and oil products trade.
On October 17, 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on tankers of the russian so-called “shadow” fleet, including the tanker “ VARUNA” in connection with the transportation of russian oil and/or oil products from russia to third countries.