Russia accelerates the expansion of its Arctic LNG "shadow fleet", nearly doubling its size in less than a year to evade sanctions

```html(1) Despite facing Western restrictions, Russia is vigorously advancing the export of high-profit liquefied natural gas, with the fleet of tankers used to transport cargo for the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project nearly doubling in size within less than a year.(2) Ship tracking data analysis shows that at least 20 vessels are currently serving the project's facilities and related supporting infrastructure, most of which employ the typical opaque ownership structure of a "shadow fleet."(3) The latest vessel to enter service is a Russian-built advanced ice-class ship, the second of its kind capable of sailing through ice-bound waters year-round; ship tracking data indicates this vessel loaded cargo from the project facility last weekend.```