Summer 2025: Russian ship « Shtandart » plans illegal stopovers in ports of France, UK, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Spain & Portugal

As Shtandart’s plans are always changing, the map on the cover image might be obsolete. Check for the latest information available on the Shtandart website: https://shtandart.eu/services/sail-with-us/

Short URL : https://wp.me/p6jaF3-ayl

For the summer of 2025, the Russian propaganda ship Shtandart is selling illegal cruises to various destinations in France, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. The ship’s captain and hidden owner, Vladimir Martus, has nothing but contempt for the regulations, court rulings, authorities and institutions of the countries he visits. He believes that he can disembark unannounced at the destinations he has chosen, in violation of the sanctions resulting from Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, because he is falsely presenting himself as an opponent of the Russian regime and because he is confident that he can resort to humanitarian blackmail.

This fraud has become systematic over the last three years and can only be prevented by banning the ship from the relevant countries’ territorial waters. If this ultimate measure is violated, as is to be expected, the only option left will be to arrest the outlaw and deport him to his homeland. The Shtandart would then have to be conveyed, at the expense of the shipowner and charterer, to a territory free of sanctions or to Russia.

1. What is the plan for the Russian propaganda ship « Shtandart » in summer 2025?

La Rochelle (France): 25/06/2025
Saint-Malo (France): 02/07/2025 – 02/07/2025
- Falmouth (UK)
- Dublin (Ireland)
- Isle of Man (UK)
Aberdeen (UK): 20/07/2025 – 21/07/2025
Kristiansand (Norway): 31/07/2025 – 01/08/2025
Esbjerg (Denmark): 08/08/2025 – 09/08/2025
Sandefjord (Norway): 15/08/2025 – 17/08/2025
Stavanger (Norway): 23/08/2025 – 25/08/2025
Ostende (Belgium): 01/09/2025 – 01/09/2025
Saint-Malo (France): 05/09/2025 – 05/09/2025
La Rochelle (France): 11/09/2025 – 20/09/2025
Portugalete (Spain): 26/09/2025 – 28/09/2025
Cascais (Portugal): 05/10/2025 – 05/10/2025
Tangier (Morocco): 10/10/2025

All the UK potential destinations mentioned on the Shtandart’s website and Facebook page are Falmouth, the Isle of Man, the Caledonian Canal, Loch Ness, the Hebrides, the Pentland Firth, the Orkney Islands, Cape Wrath and Aberdeen.

The Shtandart says it will join the ‘Tall Ships Races ‘ from Aberdeen (UK) to Kristiansand (NO) and from Kristiansand (NO) to Esbjerg (DK).

With the interactive map presented below, it is possible to scroll, zoom, and click on routes or ports to access more details.

It is also possible to copy and share the link to this map.

As Shtandart‘s plans are constantly changing, make sure you have the latest information by checking its website: Sail with Shtandart.

This video was created by the Shtandart team for advertising purposes and was initially posted on the ‘Shtandart Project’ Facebook page on 28/06/2025. Please note that port calls are prohibited for the Shtandart in the United Kingdom due to UK sanctions, and in Ireland due to EU sanctions. Note also the pirate flag on the ‘ship’. This is further evidence of the Shtandart’s outlaw status, and of Vladimir Martus’s disdain for the regulations and authorities of the countries he visits.

2. What does EU, UK and Norway legislation say about port sanctions for Russian ships?

2.1. Legal framework regarding Shtandart‘s ports of call in France, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium Spain & Portugal

The Russian vessel Shtandart plans to enter the port of Saint-Malo on 2 July 2025. Such a project would violate the prefectoral order of 23 August 2024 and Article 3ea of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014¹, taken in application of the 5h round of restrictive mesures² sanctioning Bucha massacre³.

It shall be prohibited to provide access, after 16 April 2022, to ports and, after 29 July 2022, to locks in the territory of the Union to ANY vessel registered under the flag of Russia, and for such vessels to access ports and locks, with the exception of access to locks for the purpose of leaving the territory of the Union…

European Council – Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, Article 3ea §1

It should be underlined that the 27 Member States of the European Council, on 24 June 2024, via Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1744⁴, clarified that Shtandart is included within the scope of EU port sanctions.

in paragraph 3, point (a) is replaced by the following:

‘(a) a ship falling within the scope of the relevant international conventions, including replicas of historical ships;’
European Council – Decision (CFSP) 2024/1744 of 24 June 2024

These provisions were confirmed by a letter of EU Commission⁵ to the collective « No Shtandart in Europe », by the Rennes (FR) Administrative Court⁶, on 11 July 2024, and by France’s Council of State⁷ ⁸, on 18 November 2024.

Dublin, Esbjerg, Ostende, Portugalete and Cascais authorities have to be alerted by local activists about the planned violation of EU regulation in their harbour.

For EU countries, the authorities responsible for applying port sanctions are listed in this document: National competent authorities for the implementation of EU restrictive measures (sanctions).

2.2. Legal framework regarding Shtandart‘s ports of call in Great Britain

Access to British ports is forbidden for « a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia » and/or for « a ship flying the Russian flag ».

On 28 February 2022, the British Secretary of State for Transport published an instruction closing UK ports for Russian ships. This instruction was quickly passed into UK legislation on 1 March 2022. What refers to Shtandart can be found here :

The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 Regulation 6, Prohibition on port entry, 57A
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 Regulation 6, Interpretation of Part 6, 57I
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, Ships: exceptions from prohibition on port entry 61A

The UK authorities must be made aware of any potential stopovers by the Shtandart in Falmouth, the Isle of Man, the Caledonian Canal, Loch Ness, the Hebrides, the Pentland Firth, the Orkney Islands, Cape Wrath and Aberdeen.

2.3. Legal framework regarding Shtandart‘s ports of call in Norway

Norway announced on Friday (29/04/2022) that it would implement the fifth set of sanctions agreed to by the 27-member bloc three weeks ago on April 7.
The ban on Russian-flagged vessels docking in Norwegian ports will take effect on May 7 (2022) and will not affect fishing vessels…
Insajderi, 29/04/2022 – Norway closes ports to Russian ships.

It is forbidden to grant access to ports for Russian vessels on mainland Norway, and for Russian vessels to call at these ports (Section 19a of the Sanctions Regulations). The prohibition includes vessels registered under the Russian flag, vessels that have changed from the Russian flag to another flag, after February 2022, and vessels certified by the Russian Ship Register…
Direktoratet for eksportkonroll og sanksjoner (DEKSA), 11/03/2025 – Veileder: «Skyggeflåten» og sanksjoner i maritim sektor

The Russian Shtandart has planned stopovers in Kristiansand (31 July–1 August 2025), Sandefjord (15–17 August 2025) and Stavanger (23–25 August 2025). The Norwegian authorities must be made aware of this plan.

3. Why does Shtandart fall within the scope of EU, UK and Norway sanctions?

3.1. Shtandart is a Russian shadow property.

Until the middle of the first semester of 2024, the Shtandart was owned by the Saint Petersburg–based company “Shtandart Project”⁹, of which Vladimir Martus owns over 60%. Martus is a Russian citizen¹⁰. He was born, grew up, and studied in Saint Petersburg. He is the skipper and de facto owner of the ship. The Shtandart is now reportedly owned by a nominee: Maria Martus¹¹, Vladimir Martus’s daughter. She studied in Helsinki and obtained Finnish citizenship.

Martus has registered the trademark ‘Shtandart’¹² ¹³. He intends to use it as he sees fit. He is now threatening legal action¹⁴ against anyone who mentions the name ‘Shtandart’, even for informational or reference purposes, if his false narrative is contradicted. He wants to censor any facts that might be made public which do not correspond to the fiction he is promoting about the Shtandart and himself, with the aim of deceiving people.

As evidenced by its website¹⁵, the Shtandart‘s commercial services are invoiced and collected by the company ‘Martus TV GmbH’, which is controlled and managed by Vladimir Martus¹⁶. This limited liability company is domiciled in Hamburg under German law and is often misrepresented as an association in order to appeal to the public’s generosity. For example, the Shtandart claimed that it was short on cash for its winter 2024/2025 dry docking and maintenance¹⁷. It requested public financial support via ‘Martus TV GmbH’.

Regardless of whether one is interested in its de jure or de facto owner, the Shtandart is a private commercial yacht. It is neither an association vessel nor a foundation-owned vessel, as is widely and falsely claimed. Furthermore, clients boarding the ship cannot be legally considered passengers. They are booked as « trainees » to bypass SOLAS convention requirements.

3.2. Shtandart and its registration flags

The Shtandart was registered under the Russian flag until June 6, 2024, when it shifted to the flag of the Cook Islands¹⁸. According to Article 3ea §2 of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, changing the country of registration does not exempt the ship from EU sanctions. Nevertheless, despite its false allegation that it no longer has any links with Russia, the propagandist continues to fly the Russian imperial flag at the top of the mainmast. This was visible throughout the recent « Gulf of Morbihan Week 2025″ (May 26 to June 1, 2025). ‘Wherever the Russian flag has been raised, it must never come down again’, said Tsar Nicholas I.

Shandart sailing sailing under imperial flag

As of 23 June 2025, the Shtandart‘s “profile photo” is systematically under a Russian flag on its website, on social networks, on Vessel Finder, on Marine Traffic etc. The Russian War Flame and the Imperial Russian Flag are sometimes added.

Since June 2024, i.e. after Cook Islands registration, hundreds of articles in the Russian press have referred to the Shtandart as the ‘Russian ship’ or the ‘Russian frigate’.

3.3. Shtandart, Vladimir Martus, and their mission for Russian interests

Martus claims to be an « opponent » of the Russian regime. In fact, he is close to the Russian regime and its propaganda outlets. The following is the documented and sourced result of the collective « No Shtandart for Europe » research:

« Shtandart, » 2009: Vladimir Martus’s refusal to comply with safety regulations was falsely presented as political opposition to Putin’s regime.
In October 2021, Vladimir Martus and the « Shtandart » undertook a diplomatic mission with Putin’s sponsorship and financing.
From 2007 to 2022, a Russian bibliography of Martus shows his status as a non-opponent and as a Russian public figure.
DOSSIER. The Shtandart, propaganda organs and Russian media. (Summer 2024: Vladimir Martus gave interviews to Russian propaganda outlets: RIA Novosti, TASS, RBC, Izvestia, etc. He was presented as a national hero for fighting against the French authorities, sanctions, and European institutions in hundreds of Russian press articles).

It is also important to examine the in-depth work carried out by the Ouest-France Bretagne editorial team.

Additionally, it is worth reading:

Komsomolskaya Pravda, 06/08/2024 – Russian sailing ship “Standart” will make a third attempt to violate European sanctions (Ru).
Komsomolskaya Pravda, 15/08/2024 – “We do not agree”: the captain of the sailing ship “Standart” sues the European Union over sanctions (Ru)

4. Illegal sales: how does Shtandart « respect » law, judicial decisions, institutions and authorities of countries visited?

On 14 June 2025, the “No Shtandart in Europe » collective alerted the prefect of the Ille-et-Vilaine department, which includes Saint-Malo, to the imminent arrival of the Russian vessel. On 19 June 2025, the prefect confirmed that the Shtandart had been banned from all ports in his department.
Ukrinform, 20/06/2025 – Russian ship Shtandart banned from several French ports.

However, as of 23 June 2025, the Shtandart continues to sell cruises departing from or arriving in Saint-Malo.

The Spanish maritime authorities expressly notified the Shtandart on July 24, 2024, that the ban applies to all ports in Spain.
Outono, 24/07/2024 – Spain vetoed the Russian frigate Shtandart, which intended to reach Vigo, in all its ports.

Failure to comply with these and other instructions resulted in the Russian vessel’s expulsion and complete banishment from Spanish territorial waters on July 27, 2024. El Mundo, 27/07/2024 — Expulsan de aguas españolas a un velero ruso que fondeó en Galicia sin permiso.

Nevertheless, it continues to sell cruises to (September 26, 2025)¹⁹ and from Portugalete (September 28, 2025)²⁰ on its website.

Shtandart continues to sell cruises to (September 26, 2025) and from Portugalete (September 28, 2025)

5. What is Shtandart’s method of bypassing Russian sanctions?

5.1. Unannounced dockings

« No Shtandart for Europe » is alerting to the fact that, if the Shtandart is banned from entering a particular port, it will attempt to enter another neighboring port without prior notice. This is a practice that it has generalized since 2022 on the Iberian Peninsula. This is announced on its website for Saint-Malo, for example.

It tried to achieve an unannounced docking in Le Havre on May 4, 2025²¹.

Due to this now-classic modus operandi, as presented above, the Spanish maritime authorities expressly notified the Shtandart in July 2024 that the ban applied to all Spanish ports. A few days later, they prohibited the Russian vessel from entering their territorial waters.

The historic frigate Shtandart, which was not permitted to enter EU ports due to pressure from pro-Ukrainian activists, departed Spanish territorial waters and headed to the open sea.(Ru)
RBC, July 27, 2024 — РБК: исторический фрегат «Штандарт» покидает территориальные воды Испании

The Spanish authorities – their hands are tied by the decisions of the European Union, and we are going to challenge these decisions. “The Shtandart should sail the seas freely, seafaring in general should be free, the ocean is a zone of freedom, and this is what I personally fight for and what drives me in all these adventures with bans,” Martus told TASS. (Ru)
TASS, August 1, 2024 – Капитан фрегата « Штандарт » считает, что у властей Испании « связаны руки » решениями ЕС

5.2. « Humanitarian” Blackmail

Vladimir Martus disregards legal provisions. When it comes to destinations that are forbidden to him, he makes cold calculations, confident in the power of his ‘humanitarian’ blackmail — particularly if he has underage customers on board.

« No Shtandart for Europe » believe that, by implementing a method first used in Vigo in July 2022, the Shtandart will manipulate public opinion and the media through this « humanitarian » blackmail. It will abuse paragraph 4 of 3ea of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 and paragraphs 1.a) and 2.b) of UK Regulation 61A, stating that access to ports should be granted for safety or emergency reasons. The Shtandart will use this method to force access to the port it desires. The Shtandart will argue that its crew does not have enough food and water to undertake the long journey to its next (forbidden) port of call.

This morning, the captain of the Shtandart, Vladimir Martus, issued a desperate SOS alerting the maritime authorities. Drinking water is scarce, food is insufficient, and the impending 750-nautical-mile crossing to their next destination seems suicidal. Mechanical failures, supply shortages, and international sanctions endanger the lives of the eleven crew members.
Vigoe, July 29, 2024 — La fragata Shtandart clama por ayuda

The maritime authorities are often criticised in both the national and Russian press for the consequences of this fait accompli practice. They are insulted and criticised, and sometimes taken to court, in an attempt to force them to submit to the wishes of the Russian fraudster.

» The situation on the ship will deteriorate rapidly. They already have a water shortage. No state authority has the right to prohibit a ship from entering a port to obtain supplies,” said (Jean-Paul) Hellequin, who previously represented the Brest seafarers’ union.
RIA Novosti, July 23, 2024 – На российском фрегате, который не пустили в порт во Франции, кончается вода

« France has too little power now. Today, the EU decides everything instead of us. This has worsened since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. This situation has once again shown the weakness of France. We condemn the decree of the Prefect of Finistère, who should not have gone along with Brussels, » the agency’s interlocutor (Jean-Paul Hellequin) said.
The sailors have been prevented from participating in an international sailing festival in Brest and are prevented from entering the port even for supplies.
« I find this extremely unfair and even disgusting towards the sailors ».
RIA Novosti, 23/07/2024 – Во французской НКО объяснили отказ властей пустить российский фрегат в порт

For more background on this topic, see the 49 Russian publications reprinting the useful idiot Jean-Paul Hellequin‘s (Mor Glaz) remarks to the Ria Novosti propaganda agency, slandering France, the French authorities, the European institutions and the whistle-blowing collective: «Штандарт», Жан-Поль Елькан и Mor Glaz / Shtandart, Jean-Paul Hellequin and Mor Glaz.

« The crew of the Russian frigate “Standart” will appeal the decision on European sanctions against the ship in the European Court of Human Rights« , the ship’s captain Vladimir Martus told RIA Novosti.
« We have a lawsuit against the decision of the prefect (of the French department of Finistère – ed.). And we are also filing in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg against this decision of the European Union, » he said.
RIA Novosti, 30/07/2024 – Капитан фрегата « Штандарт » обжалует решение о санкциях в ЕСПЧ

If, as Vladimir Martus says, Standart is short on cash, one question arises: Who is paying for the frenzy of legal action launched by “Martus TV GmbH” and Vladimir Martus against the French authorities, the sanctions, and the European institutions?

Surprisingly, the skipper of the rogue ship, who intentionally stages such ’emergency’ situations, has never been prosecuted for deliberately endangering others’ lives. Nor has he ever been prohibited from carrying passengers who are not adults, including nationals of the country he is visiting. He uses them as hostages in his deceptions. These are avenues that should be explored in order to punish the perversity of his methods.

6. How can this thuggish behaviour be stopped?

‘No Shtandart for Europe’ is contacting activists in Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, Denmark and Belgium to enforce the British, Norwegian and European bans. In Ukraine²², the authorities, civil society and the military are watching with increasing disgust as the Russian propaganda ship²³ attempts to circumvent sanctions imposed in response to the Bucha massacre. Readers are therefore invited to consider the position of the City Council of the martyred city²⁴.

In France, ‘No Shtandart for Europe’ is available to the authorities and territorial intelligence services for further information and meetings regarding this emblematic case of Russian influence networks operating within the state apparatuss²⁵. This undermines France’s international standing, calls into question its authority and attacks the European institutions.

To stop these repeated infringements and abuses of the law, the ‘No Shtandart for Europe’ campaign suggests that the authorities in various countries follow Spain’s example. The Shtandart should be banned from their territorial waters²⁶. Prior to its final expulsion, the Russian vessel could be permitted to replenish its supplies of water, food and fuel to enable it to reach a country without port sanctions. If the Shtandart does not wish to return to Russia, it can set sail for Tangier, a port it has visited twice since 2024 and is scheduled to visit again on 10 October 2025²⁷.

However, if the Shtandart continues to enter prohibited waters and ports, Vladimir Martus should be arrested and deported to Russia. The ship should then be sent to Russia or the next sanction-free port under the supervision of the second captain or a professional crew, at the expense of Maria Martus (the “owner”) and Martus TV GmbH (the “charterer”). Vladimir Martus’s German residency permit²⁸ should also be revoked.

Any organisations wishing to join the more than sixty entities from Ukraine, Spain and France that are already members of the ‘No Shtandart in Europe’ collective are more than welcome to do so. All the president of the organisation needs to do is send an email of agreement to noshtandartineurope@gmail.com, including the URL of their organisation’s website and/or Facebook page.

Разом до перемоги!

Bernard Grua, spokeperson