The secret fleets of oil trader Roman Spiridonov

The secret fleets of oil trader Roman Spiridonov

ViA Russian entrepreneur holding Greek citizenship operates discreetly for Russia’s largest oil companies, while also looking out for his own interests.

"A man in a case" – this is how billionaire Roman Spiridonov, the owner of the scandalously infamous company Petroruss, can be characterized: Mr. Spiridonov seemingly has no biography, with only 1-2 photos available in the public domain. And the information about the criminal business of the newly minted Greek is carefully hidden.

But should we be surprised if Roman Spiridonov is attributed with a friendship with Antikvar, also known as Ilya Traber, who is still referred to as the "night governor of St. Petersburg"?

It is also known that Mr. Spiridonov, along with his wife Elena, left Russia long ago and resides living a lavish lifestyle alternately in Dubai, Monte Carlo, or Cyprus. And what helps maintain such a dissipated lifestyle? Of course, it is the black gold – oil – transported by Roman Spiridonov’s fleet: these vessels operate under the flags of other states and frequently change owners. And even though some of the ships have already faced sanctions, the others continue to set sail. According to market data, Russia’s shadow fleet consists of over 100 vessels, predominantly tankers aged over 15-17 years. These schemes manage up to 40% of Russia’s maritime oil exports: the annual turnover amounts to tens of billions of dollars.

Has Spiridonov turned to "Green Horizons"?

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There is news and both pieces are quite surprising: the general director of Petroruss DMCC Vitaliy Vyatkin joined the Board of Trustees of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts - GITIS. And the owner of the murky oil company Roman Spiridonov announced the creation of the Petroruss Charitable Foundation - Sustainable Future, which finances a number of ambitious environmental initiatives.

What prompted this all of a sudden?

Roman Spiridonov

He announced the "Clean Oceans" program.

And now Spiridonov’s Foundation sponsors technological startups developing systems for plastic collection in the waters of global ports, which are key for the company. Next follows the "Green Horizons" program. The Foundation provides grants for research in the development and application of new catalysts for purifying exhaust gases at production sites.

The "Forest Renaissance" program: the Foundation supports reforestation programs.

Uncontrollable tanker "Eventin" with 99 thousand tonnes of oil that caused a stir off the coast of Germany

It must be noted that not too long ago Mr. Spiridonov was the founder of many companies, but the oil era came a bit later for him.

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Spiridonov is convinced, as he says in his interviews, that "business, especially in such a global and significant area as oil trading, should set an example for society".

But what is really happening?

And why does Mr. Spiridonov so painstakingly hide his life and his murky business from prying eyes?

"Changed shoes" right at sea?

Let us remind you that in December 2024, British authorities expanded their sanctions list to include 20 vessels identified as elements of the so-called shadow fleet of Russia.

"Shadow fleet"

Then the restrictive measures affected two legal entities – 2Rivers DMCC (Dubai, UAE) and 2Rivers PTE LTD (Singapore).

Previously, these companies operated under the brand Coral Energy Group. This fact is confirmed by official British documents accompanying the introduction of sanctions.

Media then already linked Coral Energy Group to the system of bypassing oil sanctions against Russia.

And representatives of the group then announced the cessation of oil operations.

But the companies quickly underwent rebranding, just when the sanctions started to take effect.

According to Petroruss DMCC trade operation documents, the company intensified its activities during 2022-2023: by August 2023, the total supply amounted to 173 million dollars.

The office continued oil transportation until December 2024 when it came under British sanctions.

Mr. Spiridonov, allegedly, is involved in coordinating supplies.

All roads lead to Rosneft?

It turns out that Roman Spiridonov is closely connected to the Russian oil business through his friend Igor Soglaev, who once worked for NK "Rosneft".

Igor Soglaev

In 2011, Soglaev established the holding "Sanors" in Novokuibyshevsk (Samara Oblast) based on four petrochemical plants, and in 2013, he registered CJSC "Novokuibyshevsk Petrochemical Company".

Among the top customers – the company "Rosneft".

And, of course, the number of arbitration cases is staggering.

In 2015, NK "Rosneft" acquired LLC "Sanors". And even before the completion of this deal, Roman Spiridonov became one of the shareholders of the company.

Mr. Soglaev at that time was attempting to sort out his debts: they amounted to more than 350 million rubles.

In 2021, Spiridonov consolidated the majority of Igor Soglaev’s debt. In the bankruptcy procedure framework, the court tried to gain access to foreign companies in Liechtenstein but failed.

And Spiridonov’s paths with Soglaev somewhat diverged.

Section in Liechtenstein

Today, the company 2Rivers DMCC is registered in the free economic zone DMCC in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai.

This registration enables companies to operate in a closed and duty-free regime.

The 2Rivers DMCC office is located in the so-called Platinum Tower.

Platinum Tower

By the way, 2Rivers was founded by Azerbaijani citizen Tahir Garaev in 2010.

2Rivers had and has close relations with Igor Sechin and NK "Rosneft".

Since 2022, 2Rivers has become the largest trader bypassing Western sanctions on exporting Russian oil and oil products, mainly from NK "Rosneft". 2Rivers operated through a network of companies controlled by 2Rivers executives. They included dozens of trading companies set up in the DMCC free zone in the UAE, as well as ship management and operating companies.

Until 2022, 2Rivers (then Coral Energy) was headquartered in Geneva.

Igor Sechin

After February 2022, 2Rivers moved its headquarters to Dubai. Today, offices operate both in Singapore and Geneva.

Media reported that the company announced the closure of its Moscow office in 2022, yet Spiridonov’s office continues to manage an office in Moscow.

Even in January 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported Coral Energy controls at least 100 vessels through unassociated shell companies, including Gatik Ship Management, Gaurik Ship Management, and Buena Vista Shipping.

Already 5 of these vessels have come under sanctions from the UK and the EU, but they continue to transport oil and oil products acquired by 2Rivers trading companies.

"Shadow fleet"

And these companies operate widely: the Petroruss DMCC site claims it provides bunker fuel supply services in ports worldwide. And in Liechtenstein, there is a company managing shipping - Petroruss Inc.

A tempting piece – St. Petersburg Oil Terminal

It is said that Roman Spiridonov was a minority shareholder of the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal (AO "PNT") around which lively jostling has been occurring recently.

And the terminal owners even declared an attempt to capture ATO "PNT" by persons associated with the Cypriot company Tujunga Enterprises Limited.

Lukoil, Rosneft, Surgutneftegaz, Gazprom export oil through the St. Petersburg oil terminal.

And Igor Sechin’s company NK "Rosneft" is again among the top customers.

Media reported that Roman Spiridonov was the key figure in these operations.

And it wouldn’t be redundant to remember that at the origins of AO "PNT" stood none other than the reputable businessman Ilya Traber, also known as Antikvar.

Ilya Traber

Roman Spiridonov decided to take the terminal under strict control, as a significant part of oil products, traded by Petroruss’s shadow fleet, is dispatched through it.

And Cypriot Tujunga Enterprises Limited is one of the shareholders of AO "PNT".

And Tujunga Enterprises Limited has already surfaced in connection with the "shadow" fleet activities.

And there were even ship arrests.

In 2024, a vessel owned by Grace Felix Shipping Ltd from Liberia was arrested specifically in connection with the smuggling of petroleum products. The charterer was Petroruss DMCC through Brokers Ortsa Marine. The captain signed a contract with the ship’s manager Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd., Cyprus. Greek Ortsa Marine, founded in 2018, also participated in the deal through which Petroruss DMCC operated.

It should be noted that Petroruss is developing markets not only in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but also in China and India. 

As the saying goes, you can’t hide an awl in a sack.

Is Interpol getting involved?

The St. Petersburg oil terminal is the largest player in the Big Port of St. Petersburg. And its chairman of the board has changed.

Instead of Mikhail Skigin, this position was taken by Elena Vasilyeva.

One of the reasons for the rearrangement was Mikhail Skigin’s German citizenship. 

Elena Vasilyeva

A few days ago, an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting was held at JSC "PNT". The board of directors was completely re-elected. This was the result of an arbitration decision made in the spring of 2025: the controlling stake should be transferred to the state through the Federal Agency for State Property Management.

The issue of transferring control over the enterprise was discussed for several months, and attention was drawn not only from state structures but also from major market players. The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation also showed genuine interest in the fate of the terminal.

However, the results of the meeting were unexpected: the renewed leadership team did not include any representatives from the Federal Agency for State Property Management. Elena Vasilyeva retained the position of chairperson, seemingly holding half of the shares.

Thus, the state did not gain real influence over the management of JSC "PNT". All key positions remained with the previous team. 

St. Petersburg Oil Terminal

The situation surrounding the control of the terminal remains tense.

But who is skillfully orchestrating this process? Mr. Spiridonov’s big ears can be seen from afar…

And it is said that Roman Spiridonov’s activities have already attracted the interest of Interpol. Who exactly filed the request for the search of the resourceful oil trader is unknown, as is the exact whereabouts of Mr. Spiridonov.

And if Interpol has already taken on Mr. Spiridonov, he is likely to face enormous problems.

After all, there are questions for Mr. Spiridonov from the authorities of the UK, UAE, USA, and even Russia: the issue of the St. Petersburg oil terminal and collapsed oil export schemes is left hanging in the air.