Putin Opens New Front in Shadow Fleet Fight With Threat to Seize EU Ships

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday of seizing European ships in response to EU action against Moscow's shadow oil fleet, potentially leading to direct interference in commercial shipping as Europe escalates efforts to disrupt Russia's crude exports. During a meeting to oversee Russian Pacific Fleet exercises, Putin stated that Moscow would retaliate if European nations confiscate Russian vessels or sell cargo from detained ships, though he emphasized that retaliation need not be confined to the same waters.

This threat follows the EU's latest sanctions package, passed July 23, which added 41 more vessels to its blacklist of ships involved in Russia's shadow oil fleet, bringing the total to 673. The EU has also expanded restrictions to companies providing services to the fleet and entities aiding Russian oil producers. European enforcement has seized nine suspected shadow-fleet tankers by late June, with France and Britain making significant catches.

Russia, in turn, is preparing a maritime response, with Pacific Fleet commander Viktor Liina telling Putin that Russian forces can inspect and detain vessels from "unfriendly states," including those under third-country flags. This comes just after a U.S. sanctions bill targeting Russian energy revenues and the shadow fleet passed the Senate and moved to the House, aiming to target vessels, owners, operators, insurers, and ports involved in transporting Russian oil.