The UN Panel of Experts is scrutinizing the Russian-flagged ship "Maria" (formerly known as Lev Yashin) for transporting containers between the DPRK's Rajin port and Dunay, as well as Konyushkov Bay in the Russian Far East, as shown in satellite imagery from September to October. The contents of these containers, which were reported to be transported by rail to a Russian ammunition depot near the Ukrainian border, remain undisclosed. Maria's operations, which involved loading containers at Rajin and unloading at Konyushkov Bay, are part of a broader investigation into container transport between the DPRK and Russia, involving multiple Russian-flagged vessels, indicating systematic goods transfer that is under review for potential sanctions violations.
The vessel is involved in the military logistics network of the russian federation and numerous deliveries of military equipment and ammunition from the DPRK to the russian federation with the automatic identification system turned off.
In June 2024, EU imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with the transport of goods and technology used by the russian defence and security sector to wage war in Ukraine.
On October 17, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with transportation from/to russia of goods and technologies used in the defense and security sector, as well as for use in russia or for the war in Ukraine.
The previous manager of the vessel was the sanctioned russian company LLC Shipping Company Asia, which is a cargo carrier for the russian ministry of defense.
In December 2023, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as part of a group of commercial vessels that delivered significant amounts of military equipment and ammunition provided by the DPRK to russia.
The vessel is operated by the sanctioned russian shipping company JSC Sovfracht, which provides logistical support to the russian ministry of defense and functions as a key node in the military transport networks of russian cargo vessels delivering North Korean weapons from Pyongyang to military facilities in the russian port of Danube. The ammunition delivered by the company's vessels is transported to weapons depots on russia's western border for use in the war against Ukraine.