Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a major threat over concerns that European countries could expand the seizure of merchant vessels found to be linked to Russia.
Putin: We Will Hit Back ‘In Kind’
Putin with Military in 2018 Creative Commons Image
Putin Back in 2018 Creative Commons Image
Visiting naval personnel on Wednesday, the Russian president said he would retaliate “in kind” if the plans went ahead, describing them as “piracy and robbery.”
His remarks come in the wake of the European Union’s adoption in July of a mechanism permitting its member states to confiscate and auction fuel and other sanctioned commodities being shipped across the world by “shadow fleet” vessels.
Grain cargoes also fall under the fresh measures, rolled out as part of the EU’s 21st sanctions package.
“We see the authorities of certain countries attempting, in violation of international maritime law, to restrict the movement of vessels operated by our businesses,” Putin claimed while aboard the missile cruiser Varyag.
“And recently, they went so far as to consider seizing our vessels and selling the property they have plundered from us. This is, of course, nothing other than piracy and robbery.”
“We will not necessarily act in the waters where raids on our ships and vessels are being planned, but wherever we ourselves consider it necessary and appropriate. Anywhere, including in the Pacific Fleet’s area of responsibility,” Putin went on.
There is some precedent for this.
A Liberia-flagged, Greek-owned oil tanker was detained by Russia in the Baltic Sea last May while en route to Rotterdam, but was released after two days. The Estonian government said it was retaliation for its attempts to inspect Russia-linked shadow-fleet tankers.
Russia Carries Out ‘Analysis’ Of Maritime Vessels Near Its Coast
Putin noted that Russia’s Defense Ministry has been instructed to prepare for any necessary response.
Pacific Fleet Commander Viktor Liina went further, stating that a “detailed [military] analysis” of Asia-Pacific maritime traffic had occurred.
In other words, Russia might well hit back by interfering with Western commercial vessels.
He said more than 1,000 vessels had sailed through Russia’s exclusive economic zone around the Kuril Islands between April 24 and Aug. 6. Liina said this included 379 sailing under the flags of countries deemed “unfriendly” by the Kremlin.
Nine French vessels and twenty-six British ones were among those that passed through.
Nine Russia-Linked Tankers Detained in 2026
Just nine tankers transporting Russian oil have been detained by the United Kingdom and EU states since the beginning of 2026.
Russia is thought to be operating 600 to 1,000 shadow tankers in its bid to circumvent Western sanctions and price caps introduced in a bid to damage Moscow’s war effort.
So-called shadow fleets often involve sanctioned nations acquiring old, poorly maintained vessels and concealing their real ownership. Venezuela and Iran are also known to extensively participate in such schemes.
A 2024 Atlantic Council report found that some 17 percent of all oil tankers are thought to be part of these shady operations at the behest of various regimes.
Such ships’ opaque insurance statuses and general lack of maintenance oversight make them a major environmental and maritime safety risk.
On July 20, the EU’s Operation Irini stopped the MV South Star. France intercepted tankers, including the Grinch, Deyna, and Tagor, before releasing them.
Since June 14, the UK has held the Smyrtos, sailing under the flag of Cameroon, carrying more than 100,000 metric tons of oil.
‘Untested’ Situations Unfold
Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots toward a civilian British yacht in the English Channel just two days later, on June 16th.
The dry cargo ship Caffa was seized by Sweden in March. Kyiv then complained that it had been transporting grain from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
In August, Sweden’s Supreme Court ruled that the ship should be handed over to Ukraine.
According to a U.K. House of Commons research briefing: “Legal commentators remain divided on whether the transportation of sanctioned oil or the broader strategic threat posed by the shadow fleet legally constitutes ‘non-innocent’ passage.”
“Consequently, applying domestic criminal jurisdiction to foreign ships in transit remains largely untested,” it explains.
Earlier this month, the U.S. government quietly sold off the tankers Era and Lileo to the recycler GMS, with both vessels now heading to Alang for scrapping. The “shadow fleet” vessels were seized in January after a weeks-long pursuit across the Atlantic coordinated between the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
