August M
Western officials say Russia is taking a more aggressive approach to protecting oil exports that bypass sanctions, raising concerns about security and escalation in northern European waters. The reported move highlights how critical these shipments have become to Moscow’s war finances.
Naval authorities in the region say the change marks a shift from covert activity to visible military-backed protection.
Sanctions pressure
According to reporting by the Express, Western officials believe President Vladimir Putin has authorised armed guards to be placed aboard oil tankers linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
The vessels are used to move oil in defiance of Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine. Officials say the Kremlin now appears willing to deploy military resources to shield the fleet.
For now, it remains unclear who the armed personnel are, though they are believed to come from “private security companies” operating with Russian approval.
Baltic sightings
Swedish naval commanders say they have observed uniformed, armed individuals on board shadow fleet tankers operating in the Baltic Sea.
“We have seen and received information that there are people in uniform on board some of these shadow fleet vessels,” said Marko Petkovic, head of the Swedish Navy’s operational command.
Petkovic added that Russian warships have been spotted near key shipping routes. ‘The Russian navy is periodically present at various key points in the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Finland … and appears to be supporting this shadow fleet in some way,’ reports the Express
Military backing
Swedish officials say the naval presence reflects a broader increase in Russian military activity in the region.
Petkovic said the Russian naval footprint had “become more permanent and present in large parts of the Baltic Sea”.
Daniel Stening, deputy chief of operations for the Swedish Coastguard, said the development underlined the fleet’s strategic value. “We know that this activity is very important for Russia, so we assume that various security measures have been taken, and that such measures could well be in place,” he said.
Wider concern
Although the sightings were made in the Baltic, officials warned that many of the same vessels also travel through the North Sea and the English Channel.
Western governments have long argued that revenue from oil exports is central to sustaining Russia’s war effort, making the protection of these tankers a growing point of tension in European waters.
Sources: Express
