Focus on Africa
What is Russia's shadow fleet doing in African waters?
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4 February 2026
23 minutes
Available for over a year
A vessel carrying Russian oil suffered an explosion off the coast of Senegal last December, prompting investigations into the presence of a Russian shadow fleet in African waters. The tanker is reportedly among several vessels trying to flout US, EU and UK sanctions on Russia.
And - even though the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is over, several incidents from the tournament hosted by Morocco have raised questions about African identity.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Bella Twine, Basma El Atti and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
