« Shtandart »: Russian threats and blackmail against the Aberdeen Tall Ships Races

Backed by Moscow’s propaganda outlets and press, the sanctioned Russian ship Shtandart (MMSI: 518999255) is stepping up its provocations and fuelling Putin’s hybrid war aimed at destabilising Western countries. Despite being banned from UK and EU ports, the ship intends to force its way into the Aberdeen Tall Ships Races, due to take place from 19 to 22 July 2025. This threat should not be underestimated. Recent events have demonstrated the Russian vessel’s capacity to cause significant damage to maritime celebrations. So far, only Spain has managed to deal with it.

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1. The Shtandart‘s deceptive alternative reality.
   • 1.1. Lies
   • 1.2. Illegal sales
   • 1.3. “It’s an injustice!” 
   • 1.4. Chaos
2. Maritime events and the toxicity of the Shtandart’s skipper
   • 2.1. Brest 2024: the Shtandart sabotaging the year’s main maritime event.
   • 2.2. Vigo 2024: the Shtandart expelled from Spanish territorial waters.
   • 2.3.  The Shtandart‘s mission: violate sanctions, sue EU and other authorities 
   • 2.4. Gulf of Morbihan Week 2025: the Shtandart ruining the reputation of one the largest maritime festivals 
   • 2.5. Aberdeen Tall Ships Races 2025: Shtandart‘s explicit threats and bullying of the major Scottish, if not UK, event for the year
3. Could Aberdeen getting out of the Russian trap?

On the same topic

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1. The Shtandart‘s deceptive alternative reality.

1.1. Lies

Vladimir Martus is promoting his summer 2025 commercial cruise on Facebook and his website. He claims that the Shtandart, of which he is the skipper, beneficiary and hidden owner, is registered to participate in the Tall Ships Races departing from Aberdeen. See, Shtandart.eu: ‘Shtandart Sets Course for the Tall Ships Races’. We put this to the Aberdeen Tall Ships Races and to the Aberdeen Port Authority, who replied. The Shtandart is neither registered nor allowed to participate in the event. It is not permitted to access Aberdeen port.

Vladimir Martus wanted to start his 2025 summer tour in the Channel Islands. This was refused by the Jersey government. He then announced that he would set sail from the splendid and historic city of Saint-Malo on 2 June 2025. He still claims to have departed from this port, but this is not true. The Prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine applied the European ban to all ports in the department, including Saint-Malo. The Shtandart then tried to force access to the Côtes-d’Armor ports. The Prefect opposed this, too. The Shtandart therefore anchored off the small marina at Saint-Cast-le-Guildo instead.

1.2. Illegal sales

Mr Martus said on Tuesday (08/07/2025) he had not applied for permission to dock in Ireland as he knew it would be denied.

The Irish Times, 09/07/2025 – Sanctioned Russian ship intercepted by Coast Guard after docking in Louth

Read also:

• The Journal.ie, 08/07/2025 – TD (Irish MP) calls for ‘Russian’ replica sailing ship to be removed from Irish waters off Dublin
• The Journal.ie, 09/07/2025 – Controversial ‘Russian’ replica sailing ship leaves Irish waters (but not before garda visit)

As has been his custom for over three years, Vladimir Martus has indeed been selling an illegal service even abusing the Aberdeen Tall Ships Races name. It’s high time this charlatan fraudster faced up to his responsibilities

1.3. “It’s an injustice!” 

However, Vladimir Martus has a perfect understanding of what Westerners want to hear. His syrupy fiction is generally received with enthusiasm and without question. Yet he is a controversial figure, a fake opponent, a fake political exile and a fake friend of the Ukrainians. The ‘No Standart in Europe’ collective and some French journalists have gathered dozens, if not hundreds, of documents showing how close Vladimir Martus is to the Russian presidential administration and its propaganda outlets. In the past, Vladimir Martus played the seducer. Nowadays, he likes to put on a show and dress up as Peter the Great, a pirate, a guru, a nationalist, a peace and love beatnik, a naval officer, etc.

If all else fails, he dons the half eggshell of Calimero: “It’s an injustice!”  When he cannot force his way in, he adopts the role of the victim, a posture he uses with great skill and success. By using fait accomplis, unannounced stopovers and “humanitarian” blackmail, Vladimir Martus is circumventing Western regulations for the benefit of himself and the Russian regime.

1.4. Chaos

This creates disorder, discord and resentment, leading to the chaos that Vladimir Putin is promoting against our societies and countries. Not to mention the other missions he could possibly be in charge of. Given Great Britain’s commitment to Ukraine, it is easy to see why this would be an appropriate country for the Russians to promote discord and to whitewash Russia.

Thomas Byrne, Irish Minister for State at the Departments of the Taoiseach, Defence and Foreign Affairs (after an unannounced and illegal overnight stopover by the Shtandart in Clogherhead, told): “I can’t say specifically in respect to that vessel, but on other occasions we’ve seen hybrid measures by Russia involving this type of activity, designed to confuse, designed to, in some cases, cause chaos, but usually designed to confuse or to upset the local system and to annoy”.

The Journal.ie, 09/07/2025

2. Maritime events and the toxicity of the Shtandart’s skipper

Vladimir Martus assures the media that the Shtandart is generally accepted in European ports, barring rare exceptions. This is not true. Since July 2024, it has only been able to dock in French ports in the departments of Morbihan (Vannes) and Charente-Maritime (La Rochelle). The relevant prefects are running a criminal risk.

2.1. Brest 2024: the Shtandart sabotaging the year’s main maritime event.

Martus caused considerable damage to the Brest 2024 maritime festival by campaigning alongside local pro-Russia collaborators, Russian propaganda outlets and influential pro-Russia networks within the French state apparatus. This was in retaliation for the Prefect of Finistère enforcing the rule of law. Indeed, on 7 July 2024, the Prefect of Finistère published an order to implement European port sanctions in the department. This prevented the Shtandart from participating in the Brest Maritime Festival, which was set to be the largest event of its kind in Europe that year. Deeming the French prefect’s order illegal, the Russian outlaw set sail for Brest. On 11 July 2024, he attempted to enter the roadstead of Brest by force, prompting the French Navy to dispatch a patrol boat to intercept him.

While moored in front of Bénodet harbour, 86 km by road, or 60 nautical miles by sea, from Brest, Vladimir Martus then instructed his crew to go ashore and appeal to the public, who were unaware of the true political dimension of the issue. Some of Martus’s envoys, particularly the French-speaking ones, were accommodated on board other ships in Brest, the captains of which had been deceived by the Russian fraudster. On 16 July 2024, Martus organised a meeting in Brest at which he slandered and attacked Ukrainians, the organisers, the authorities, institutions and law enforcement. 

Almost half of the press articles did not focus on the magnificent festival itself, but rather on the despicable soap opera surrounding Vladimir Martus. Not to mention the hundreds of articles in the Russian media that stirred up hatred towards France, Ukraine and European institutions.

2.2. Vigo 2024: the Shtandart expelled from Spanish territorial waters.

Next, the Russian ship attempted to establish a presence at the Iacobus Maris Experience in Vigo. The Spanish authorities denied it access in accordance with European regulations. The Shtandart then committed a series of offences. It was banned and expelled from Spanish territorial waters on 27 July 2024, just three days after its arrival. It was a wise decision. The damage to Spain was minimal.

2.3.  The Shtandart‘s mission: violate sanctions, sue EU and other authorities 

The Shtandart‘s mission is obvious, and it is clear what the Russian ship is trying to achieve:

(Barry) Ward (Irish MP) added that he has written to the Minister and said that the captain of the ship is showing “clear disregard for EU sanctions and this arrogance and perception of impunity cannot be permitted”.

The Journal.ie, 08/07/2025

2.4. Gulf of Morbihan Week 2025: the Shtandart ruining the reputation of one the largest maritime festivals 

The Shtandart was neither registered nor invited to the 2025 Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan (Gulf of Morbihan Week) from 26 May to 1 June 2025. It nevertheless imposed its presence throughout the event. This was due to the negligence of the Prefect of Morbihan and the complicity of Thierry Verneuil, president of the organisation. The prospect of its arrival caused quite a stir among Breton friends of Ukraine. Read the investigation by the number two Brittany editor of Ouest-France, the most widely circulated daily newspaper in France.

Ouest-France, 23/05/2025 – INVESTIGATION: The Russian ship « Shtandart » brings Putin’s war to the Gulf of Morbihan.

Taking part in the 2025 Gulf of Morbihan Week was an opportunity to bring on board local and naïve journalists who understood nothing about the game they were being used for. They didn’t realise that they were part of a corruption scheme. Impressed by the VIP welcome they received free of charge, they published articles, photos and videos about the Shtandart, a “victim of inhumane EU sanctions”. After a day of splendid navigation among a large fleet of (1,400) traditional ships, they did everything they could to please their host and the Shtandart, which sailed under an imperial flag at the top of its main mast.

Russian imperial flag : « Gulf of Morbihan Week 2025 » (May 26 to June 1, 2025)

Meanwhile Russia is waging ist imperialist genocidal war against Ukraine… 

Since then, the image of the Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan and its organisation, described as pro-Russians, has been irreparably damaged. This scandal is not over yet. Those locally responsible for this infamy will eventually pay the price for it.

2.5. Aberdeen Tall Ships Races 2025: Shtandart‘s explicit threats and bullying of the major Scottish, if not UK, event for the year

Written in the maudlin tone that forms part of the mystifier’s extensive repertoire, and carefully avoiding any mention of his responsibility for the situation he created, the marshmallow-like text published by Vladimir Martus on 12 July 2025 leaves no room for doubt. It sets out – for Aberdeen –  the Brest scenario in full. 

Shtandart’s website, 12/07/2025 – To Our Fellow Captains in the Tall Ships Community

It constitutes a direct Russian threat against the Aberdeen Tall Ship Races, the port authorities of the great Scottish city and the British authorities in general. We can provide them with the contact details of the Brest deputy mayor who is the vice-chairman of the Brest maritime festival. They will probably be better able to understand the trap set for them by the Russian propaganda ambassador. 

For journalists who would like to investigate the Shtandart affair in depth, we can put them in touch with some French colleagues who have become experts on the subject.

3. Could Aberdeen getting out of the Russian trap?

In the Martus case, it would seem that there are two options:

1. ban the Shtandart from Aberdeen port and Aberdeen Tall Ships Races;
2. allow the Shtandart to dock in Aberdeen and to attend Aberdeen Tall Ships Races.

In both situations, the Russian criminal and the government to which he is subordinate win. In our opinion, the only solution is to ban the Shtandart from British territorial waters, as Spain did. Not only was the stopover of the sanctioned Russian vessel Shtandart in Inverie, Loch Nevis, on 13 and 14 July 2025 unannounced and illegal, but it also raised customs and immigration issues. These factors could justify the ban from British territorial waters.