Shtandart: We Will Not Allow the Facts to Be Distorted

At the end of September, the Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Notícias published an article about the sailing ship Shtandart that contained two significant errors:

• the vessel was described as a “Russian ship”;
• an outdated 2016 archive photo was used, showing the Russian flag, which no longer represents reality.

The Result of Our Action

The captain formally contacted the editorial team and demanded corrections. Jornal de Notícias acknowledged the mistake and made the following changes:

• the headline and text were corrected, and the words “Russian ship” were removed;
• the misleading archive photo was replaced with a current image without the Russian flag.

We thank the editorial team of Jornal de Notícias for their professionalism and willingness to follow the principles of accurate and responsible journalism.

Our Firm Position

We state unequivocally:

• TS Shtandart is not a Russian vessel;
• since 2009, the ship has been operated by an independent non-profit organization outside Russian waters;
• since 2024, it has had no legal ties whatsoever with the Russian Federation;
• since 2023, no Russian flag has been flown on board.

Any attempt by the media to label Shtandart a “Russian ship” or to illustrate publications with archive photos featuring the Russian flag amounts to spreading misinformation. Such actions cause direct damage to the vessel’s reputation, hinder its participation in international festivals, mislead port authorities, and result in economic losses.

Our Message to Editors and Journalists

We will not allow facts to be distorted. Every such case will be documented, and we will use all legal instruments available, including complaints to regulatory authorities (ERC in Portugal and their counterparts in other EU countries).

We call on all media outlets to:

• stop using the term “Russian ship” in relation to TS Shtandart;
• refrain from publishing outdated images with the Russian flag;
• contact us directly for reliable, up-to-date information about the vessel.

Conclusion

The case with Jornal de Notícias proved one thing clearly: we defend the truth and we secure corrections — if necessary, with the support of qualified lawyers. All editors should take this into account and work only with verified facts.

Captain Vladimir Martus
+49 1516 703 1703