September 2025 marked the spectacular collapse of the Russian tall ship Shtandart’s deception along the Portuguese coast. For years, this vessel — presented as a “historical replica” and a symbol of friendship between nations — had in fact operated as a propaganda and influence platform connected to the Kremlin. After being turned away from port after port across Europe, the Shtandart finally met its reckoning in Portugal.
Archives de l’étiquette : Shtandart_En
The « Shtandart » and the Iberian Peninsula: press review, summer 2025
In September 2025, the Russian sailing ship Shtandart was at the center of intense media attention and official monitoring across Europe. Maritime authorities in Portugal and Spain repeatedly denied it access to national ports, while European institutions maintained restrictions already in place under sanctions. Several reports noted attempts by the vessel to change its flag, conduct crew transfers at sea, and approach coastal areas through small craft.
The case of the sailing ship Shtandart: defending maritime heritage against misinterpretation and harassment, 20/09/2025
The website shtandart.eu has just published an article entitled “The Case of the Sailing Ship Shtandart: Defending Maritime Heritage Against Misinterpretation and Harassment.” This text devotes many pages to portraying the Russian frigate Shtandart as an innocent cultural project, while turning its attacks personally against Bernard Grua, spokesperson of the collective No Shtandart in Europe.
Acknowledgements for cross-border cooperation on the Iberian Peninsula – Тhe Russian vessel « Shtandart » fails in its port sanctions fraud
Thanks to strong cross-border cooperation between Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and France, the sanctioned Russian vessel Shtandart has been denied all planned port calls across Southern Europe. This coordinated effort has successfully blocked the vessel’s attempts to circumvent port sanctions, demonstrating the effectiveness of joint action in enforcing European and UK regulation.
Alert – The sanctioned Russian vessel « Shtandart » is scheduled to call at Gibraltar on 26 September 2025
The sanctioned Russian vessel Shtandart is attempting to enter Gibraltar on 26 September 2025. Far from being a benign replica, it operates under a flag of convenience, conceals its true ownership, and maintains close ties to the Kremlin’s propaganda network. The letter below, addressed to Gibraltar’s authorities, urges them to enforce UK sanctions and deny the Shtandart access to port.
Alert: Imminent risk of illegal entry into Spanish southern territorial waters and ports by the Russian vessel « Shtandart »
The Russian vessel Shtandart, despite the explicit prohibition by the Court of Justice of the European Union, continues attempting to enter EU ports. Following recent incidents in Galicia and Portugal, the international collective No Shtandart in Europe alerts the Spanish authorities of the imminent risk of incursions into the country’s southern waters.
Alert: Violation of Spanish Territorial Waters by the « Shtandart », a Sanctioned Russian Vessel
The presence of the Shtandart in Spanish waters is not a simple maritime incident but a clear breach of European sanctions and Spain’s national sovereignty. This ship, a symbol of Russian propaganda and previously expelled from Spain in 2024, returned to Galicia in September 2025, openly defying the country’s decisions. Its presence undermines the credibility of the European Union’s restrictive measures and requires a firm and immediate response from the Spanish authorities.
Muy pronto, el buque ruso sancionado, « Shtandart », podría intentar de nuevo entrar en los puertos españoles.
En septiembre de 2025, el Shtandart, un buque ruso sujeto a sanciones, podría entrar en aguas territoriales españolas, lo que le está prohibido. Además, no es imposible que intente realizar escalas no anunciadas y no autorizadas en uno o varios puertos del país. Se ha enviado una carta en este sentido a las autoridades españolas con el fin de alertarlas.
Is the sanctioned « Shtandart » a Russian spy ship?
By disconnecting its Automatic identification system (AIS) between Norway and France and making a secret stopover in the port of Hvide Sande, the sanctioned Russian ship Shtandart has sparked a wave of outrage and suspicion in Denmark. However, can we claim that it is a Russian spy ship, as suggested by tvSyd, a Danish media ?
The “Shtandart” explicitly banned – the Court of Justice of the European Union puts an end to its deceptive narrative
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)has confirmed that the Russian ship Shtandart has been subject to port sanctions since 16 April 2022. With Vladimir Martus having made public the confidential correspondence received on this subject, a number of organisations and institutions that chose to ignore the texts and disregard the well-founded warnings communicated to them could find themselves in an awkward position.
