Putin's Bold Warning: Retaliation Against Western 'Piracy' on Russian Ships

Putin's Strong Stance on Maritime Seizures

Moscow: On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning regarding the seizure of Russian commercial vessels by Western nations, labeling these actions as acts of 'piracy.'

During his visit to a Russian warship engaged in naval drills in the Pacific, Putin condemned the Western detentions of Russian-linked ships as violations of international maritime regulations.

"This is nothing short of piracy and theft," Putin stated. "If such actions continue, we will have no choice but to respond accordingly."

He emphasized that Russia's retaliation might not be confined to the areas where the ships were taken, indicating that Moscow could act "in any region deemed necessary and suitable," including the Pacific.

Admiral Viktor Liina, chief of the Pacific Fleet, informed Putin that the navy is prepared to commence inspections of commercial vessels associated with 'unfriendly nations.' He pointed out that numerous ships operated by British, French, and other European companies often sail under different flags, effectively creating a 'shadow fleet.'

"We possess sufficient resources to inspect and detain vessels from these unfriendly nations and their shadow fleet," Liina assured Putin. "We are ready to undertake this mission."

It is estimated that Russia is utilizing a large fleet of ships to circumvent international sanctions that were imposed following its military actions in Ukraine in February 2022.

The UK and France have already detained tankers believed to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' that are transporting oil in breach of international sanctions. The European Union has also sanctioned numerous vessels associated with this fleet.

Recently, Russia has begun deploying warships to escort its commercial ships.

Dmitry Medvedev, who previously served as Russia's president from 2008 to 2012 and is currently the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, remarked that many European vessels also sail under 'flags of convenience,' similar to Russian ships.

"This implies that, by adopting a reciprocal approach, which is only just, Russia reserves the right to target any merchant vessel from hostile nations, whether in our territorial waters or in international waters, if there are valid reasons to suspect it is transporting goods that serve the enemy's interests, and this applies to all types of cargo," Medvedev stated. "There are numerous such vessels, and our military is fully capable of significantly extending operations well beyond the Black Sea region."