The Mozambican-flagged oil tanker “Deyna”, suspected of belonging to the Russian’s shadow fleet, off the coast of Martigues near the port of Marseille-Fos, France, March 23, 2026 (AFP)

EA-Ukraine VideoCast: Kyiv Tries to Cut Off Russian-Occupied Crimea

Saturday’s Coverage: Zelensky Announces Steps to Counter Manpower Shortage

UPDATE 0817 GMT:

Following other Russian and Russian-occupied regions, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Tatarstan Republic has introduced rationing at certain gasoline stations.

The republic’s government said the measure was taken “to avoid artificial excitement” and to “ensure a stable situation”.

The limits are 20 liters of gasoline per customer per day; up to 40 liters of diesel for passenger cars; and up to 200 liters for trucks.

Tatarstan is second in Russia for oil production and among the top five regions in terms of refining volumes.

UPDATE 0755 GMT:

German economist Janis Kluge assessed that Russian military spending rose by 30% in the first quarter of 2026, compared to a year earlier.

The Russians spent 5.9 trillion rubles ($81.4 billion) from January to March on the military, 46% of all federal budget spending. With oil revenues decreasing, the military expenditure was 2/3rds of all Government income in the quarter.

Classified spending — 85% of which goes on the military — increased by 43% to 4.9 trillion rubles ($67.6 billion). An unprecedented 38.2% of all federal budget expenditure is now classified.

Under Russia’s budget law, military expenditure was supposed to shrink to 6.2% of GDP in 2026, down from 7.8% of GDP in 2025. But in the first quarter, it already accounted for 2.5% of Russia’s expected full-year GDP.

UPDATE 0717 GMT:

More than 2,000 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in May, the deadliest month since April 2022, reports the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The mission verified at least 274 civilians murdered and 1,763 injured.

“The intensification of hostilities and the increasingly frequent use of powerful weapons in urban areas led to high numbers of civilians killed and injured across the country,” Danielle Bell, head of the HRMMU, said in a statement.

UPDATE 0710 GMT:

Ukraine struck a chemical plant in Russia’s Tula region, an oil depot in the Yaroslavl region, and other targets overnight.

The Azot chemical plant was set afire in Novomoskovsk, around 395 km (245 miles) from the border.

Tula Governor Dmitriy Milayev said “fragments of downed Ukrainian drones fell onto the territory of one of the industrial enterprises in Novomoskovsk”.

The oil depot was set ablaze in the city of Rybinsk, around 700 km (435 miles) from the border.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: UK forces have boarded a tanker of Russia’s “shadow fleet” for the first time.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the interception of the tanker in the English Channel early Sunday morning in a six-hour operation. Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency, supported by the Royal Air Force, boarded the Smyrtos.

The vessel will be held and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue.

Russia uses the shadow fleet, composed mainly of aging tankers, to evade international sanctions on Moscow’s oil exports. The fleet of more than 700 vessels is estimated to carry 75% of Russian sanctioned oil.

The UK has sanctioned more than 500 of the ships.

Starmer said, “This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide.”