EU countries target alleged "Russian shadow fleet" ships for seizure – Politico
Four EU nations are contemplating an expansion of the legal framework that governs the impoundment of ships in the Baltic Sea. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Cargo ships may soon face potential impoundment over allegations of piracy and environmental concerns, according to reports.
Several European Union nations are contemplating enhancements to the legal framework governing ship seizures in the Baltic Sea, aiming to disrupt Russian trade. Insiders cited by PMG reveal that Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are specifically targeting vessels based on environmental and piracy-related accusations.
Western countries have been actively seeking measures to reduce Russian energy exports and have accused Moscow of operating a “shadow fleet” to bypass sanctions. Recently, there have also been claims that Moscow has engaged in sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic, although these allegations remain unproven.
Sources indicate that the four Baltic states plan to confiscate ships they suspect belong to the shadow fleet, citing their potential threat to the environment and critical infrastructure. They aim to rally EU support for this initiative and may amend their national laws to facilitate ship seizures further out at sea, which could include imposing a list of licensed insurers for maritime operations in the Baltic region. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna commented that there are “lots of opportunities” for enforcing trade restrictions against Russia.
In December, Finland impounded the tanker 'Eagle S' while investigating damage to the Estlink 2 power cable. Despite no wrongdoing being found by Finnish authorities, the vessel remains detained.
In contrast, a Norwegian cargo ship crewed entirely by Russians was released in late January after Norwegian police determined that there were no valid grounds for its continued detention. Earlier in the month, Latvian officials had requested the seizure of the Silver Dania over an incident involving an optic cable owned by the national broadcaster LVRTC.
Moscow has accused Western nations of perpetuating a false narrative that depicts ordinary accidents as part of a Russian sabotage campaign. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova decried this as “fantastic hypocrisy,” pointing out the absence of findings in European investigations into the September 2022 destruction of Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Zakharova stated that the lack of thorough investigation into that incident indicates that EU nations regard Joe Biden’s threats against Russian-German infrastructure as “proper,” referencing comments made by the former U.S. president prior to the attack.
President Vladimir Putin has characterized the Western sanctions as instruments of non-economic pressure from nations unable to compete with Russia fairly. He interprets these measures as a challenge to improve the national economy.
“No blackmail or attempts to impose anything on us will ever yield results. Russia is confident in its rightness and strength,” he said in a recent address.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Several European Union nations are contemplating enhancements to the legal framework governing ship seizures in the Baltic Sea, aiming to disrupt Russian trade. Insiders cited by PMG reveal that Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are specifically targeting vessels based on environmental and piracy-related accusations.
Western countries have been actively seeking measures to reduce Russian energy exports and have accused Moscow of operating a “shadow fleet” to bypass sanctions. Recently, there have also been claims that Moscow has engaged in sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic, although these allegations remain unproven.
Sources indicate that the four Baltic states plan to confiscate ships they suspect belong to the shadow fleet, citing their potential threat to the environment and critical infrastructure. They aim to rally EU support for this initiative and may amend their national laws to facilitate ship seizures further out at sea, which could include imposing a list of licensed insurers for maritime operations in the Baltic region. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna commented that there are “lots of opportunities” for enforcing trade restrictions against Russia.
In December, Finland impounded the tanker 'Eagle S' while investigating damage to the Estlink 2 power cable. Despite no wrongdoing being found by Finnish authorities, the vessel remains detained.
In contrast, a Norwegian cargo ship crewed entirely by Russians was released in late January after Norwegian police determined that there were no valid grounds for its continued detention. Earlier in the month, Latvian officials had requested the seizure of the Silver Dania over an incident involving an optic cable owned by the national broadcaster LVRTC.
Moscow has accused Western nations of perpetuating a false narrative that depicts ordinary accidents as part of a Russian sabotage campaign. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova decried this as “fantastic hypocrisy,” pointing out the absence of findings in European investigations into the September 2022 destruction of Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Zakharova stated that the lack of thorough investigation into that incident indicates that EU nations regard Joe Biden’s threats against Russian-German infrastructure as “proper,” referencing comments made by the former U.S. president prior to the attack.
President Vladimir Putin has characterized the Western sanctions as instruments of non-economic pressure from nations unable to compete with Russia fairly. He interprets these measures as a challenge to improve the national economy.
“No blackmail or attempts to impose anything on us will ever yield results. Russia is confident in its rightness and strength,” he said in a recent address.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
