Kremlin's Nikolai Patrushev threatens action against EU vessels over boardings of shadow fleet tankers, escalating maritime tensions.
Kremlin insider Nikolai Patrushev has warned that Russia may target European vessels in response to EU boardings of shadow fleet tankers, reports Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
Mr. Patrushev described Western inspections of Russia-linked tankers as 'pirate attacks' and said Europe is provoking escalation. He warned that if a peaceful resolution fails, Russia's navy would act to break any blockade and could begin inspecting European-flagged ships.
The shadow fleet, often uninsured or lacking valid flag states, carries most of Russia's oil exports through the Baltic and North Sea. About 240 such tankers transited last year, mostly without incident, though EU forces occasionally boarded vessels suspected of irregularities.
Mr. Patrushev, a former KGB officer, stated that Russia must station significant naval forces along key routes. He called the EU's shadow fleet crackdown a 'legal fiction' and asserted that any blockade would be illegal under international law.
The EU is preparing measures that would bar European maritime services from handling Russian oil cargoes, currently allowed if priced under $45 per barrel. If implemented, demand for unregulated shadow fleet services would rise, prompting Europe to consider more interdictions.
Russian warships already escort tankers in the Baltic and English Channel, but naval capacity is strained by the war in Ukraine, sanctions, and loss of access to Ukrainian gas turbine engines. Mr. Patrushev mentioned that technology, including unmanned vessels, could help offset manpower shortages.
