Putin threatens retaliation for Western seizures of Russian commercial vessels

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that Russia would retaliate against Western seizures of its commercial vessels, branding the actions as "piracy." During a visit to a Russian warship participating in a Pacific Fleet naval exercise, Putin asserted that the Western detentions of ships connected to Russia constituted a breach of international maritime law.

"It's nothing but piracy and robbery," he declared, adding that the Russian response would not be limited to the specific waters where the seized ships were intercepted. Instead, Moscow could retaliate in any area deemed necessary and appropriate, potentially including the Pacific region. Adm. Viktor Liina, the head of the Pacific Fleet, informed Putin that the navy was prepared to commence inspections of commercial ships supporting "unfriendly nations."

Liina emphasized that many vessels operated by British, French, and other European carriers are flagged under other countries, effectively functioning as a "shadow fleet." "We have enough assets for inspection and detention of vessels of the unfriendly nations and their shadow fleet," Liina informed Putin. "We are ready to start performing the task."

Analysts suggest that Russia is leveraging a fleet of hundreds of ships to circumvent international sanctions imposed following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. France and the United Kingdom have detained tankers suspected of belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, which transports oil in violation of sanctions. The European Union has sanctioned hundreds of such ships.

Recently, Russia has begun deploying warships to accompany its commercial vessels, potentially exacerbating tensions with Western nations.