Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Russia could use its navy to prevent EU countries from confiscating Russian vessels.
Details of the statement
Patrushev made the statement on February 17. He warned that Moscow could also take measures against European shipping if Europe attempts to seize Russian ships. Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia’s economy. In recent months, they have tried to block oil tankers suspected of transporting Russian oil. Reuters reported that in January, the United States seized an oil tanker sailing under the Russian flag in an effort to limit Venezuela’s oil exports.
Patrushev said Russia must respond with retaliation and deliver a “tough answer.” He specifically mentioned the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic states.
“If we don’t give them a tough rebuff, then soon the British, French and even the Balts will become arrogant to such an extent that they will try to block our country’s access to the seas at least in the Atlantic basin,” he told a Russian media outlet.
Russia’s “shadow fleet”
Patrushev also claimed that significant naval forces should operate permanently in key maritime regions, including areas far from Russia. He said these forces would be capable of “cooling the ardour of Western pirates.” According to Patrushev, NATO is allegedly planning to blockade Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea. He called any attempts to impose a naval blockade on Russia illegal under international law.
“Any attempt at a naval blockade of our country is completely illegal from the standpoint of international law, and the concept of a ‘shadow fleet’, which EU representatives brandish at every turn, is a legal fiction,” Patrushev said.
The term “shadow fleet” refers to a network of vessels Russia uses to bypass sanctions. Patrushev accused the EU of deliberately pursuing military escalation. He claimed European countries are testing Russia’s patience and provoking retaliatory action. He said Russia could attempt to break any blockade using its navy if the situation cannot be resolved peacefully.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Russia’s shadow fleet plays a key role in helping Moscow continue financing the war by bypassing sanctions, hiding ownership structures, and redirecting oil through alternative routes.
