Putin Threatens to Seize EU Ships
PHOTO CAPTION: Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcomed on board a missile cruiser “Varyag” as he observes a military drill of Pacific fleet, in Russia's far eastern Sakhalin Region, Russia, August 12, 2026. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS
MOSCOW, Aug. 12 — President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia would respond in kind if European countries begin seizing Russian merchant vessels, while the commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet said his forces were prepared to “inspect and detain” ships linked to countries Moscow considers hostile.
Putin made the comments while overseeing naval drills in Russia’s Far East as the European Union increases pressure on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. The EU has expanded sanctions against hundreds of vessels, while some ships and crews have been detained for inspections and European governments have discussed tougher enforcement against vessels suspected of helping Russia evade sanctions.
“We can see that the authorities of certain countries, in violation of international maritime law, are attempting to restrict the movement of our economic operators’ vessels ... and have recently gone so far as to consider the possibility of seizing our vessels and selling off the property they have plundered from us,” Putin said.
“Naturally, this is nothing less than piracy and robbery. And if this begins to be put into practice, we shall be forced to respond in kind,” he added, saying Russia could act “wherever we ourselves deem it necessary and appropriate.”
Viktor Liina, commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, told Putin that countries including Britain and France also use vessels flying flags of convenience to transport goods and argued that, using Western terminology, those ships could also be considered a “shadow fleet.”
“Western states are actively using vessels flying the flags of third countries to transport cargo in their own interests. In essence, this constitutes their shadow fleet,” Liina said.
He added that Russia had the capability to “inspect and detain vessels belonging to unfriendly states and their shadow fleet,” saying inter-agency coordination was already in place. Liina said the Pacific Fleet had analyzed maritime traffic across the Asia-Pacific region and knew the routes, cargoes and ownership of vessels linked to countries Russia considers unfriendly.
Moscow criticizes EU maritime inspections
Russia’s Foreign Ministry also accused the European Union of unlawfully using its Mediterranean naval mission, EUNAVFOR MED Irini, to inspect foreign vessels. The operation was originally created to enforce a U.N. arms embargo on Libya.
The ministry cited an Italian-led operation this month that boarded a tanker identified as part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. It was the second such operation in less than two weeks as European authorities increased scrutiny of vessels suspected of helping Moscow circumvent oil sanctions.
“Operation Irini is effectively being used by the European Union to intimidate commercial shipping companies and impede freedom of navigation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. It accused the EU of abusing international legal norms and warned that by taking such actions, the bloc was “bringing great dangers upon itself.”
(Source: Reuters)
