Sweden steps up rules against Russia's Baltic 'shadow fleet'
Representative image via AP
Sweden on Saturday announced new rules upping checks on foreign vessels in the Baltic from July 1, reinforcing a crackdown on Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers deployed to circumvent sanctions on its oil trade.
Since the Western-led sanctions imposed after its 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been relying on hundreds of such ships, that operate under murky ownership and dodgy insurance.
European governments frequently blame the vessels for damaging -- deliberately or not -- undersea cables, and of posing a maritime environmental threat.
The Swedish government said in a statement that the new rules "reinforce checks on foreign vessels by requiring insurance information".
It said the effort "aims to fight against this fleet and, in so doing, improve maritime safety and environmental protection".
The Swedish coast guard and maritime authorities will be tasked with scrutinising insurance details not only of ships docking in Swedish ports, "but also those crossing Swedish territorial waters, or its exclusive economic zone", which extends some 200 nautical miles from shore.
Sweden and Finland -- both of whom recently joined NATO -- are alert to Baltic Sea incidents impacting energy and communication infrastructure, after several instances of damage in late 2024.
"We are seeing a growing number of concerning incidents in the Baltic Sea, which requires... us to prepare for the worst," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in Saturday's statement.
He added that information gleaned under the new rules checking vessels would be shared with allies and could be added to databases used for sanctions enforcement.
The European Union last week adopted a 17th sanctions package against Russia that targets nearly 200 vessels in the "shadow fleet".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Kerala minister slams Centre for foreign aid nod to Maharashtra
Kerala finance minister KN Balagopal accused the BJP-led Union government of bias and violating federal principles after the latter permitted the Maharashtra government to accept foreign donations for the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). On Sunday, the Kerala FM told reporters that while the state was not opposed to Maharashtra getting foreign aid to deal with impact of natural disasters, the law must be made equal for all states. He pointed out that the Union government had denied permission to Kerala to accept foreign aid in the backdrop of the century's worst floods in 2018 even as other countries like UAE were ready with offers to help. 'It is a good thing for any state, dealing with disasters, to get help. Granting approval to the state is also good. But the Union government's stand over this clearly reeks of political bias. When floods affected almost every part of Kerala, the state had stood up to ask for aid. There were Malayalis from around the world and other countries that were willing to help. But the Union government did not permit the state. Now, Maharashtra has been permitted for the same. Naturally, it begs the question whether it's because both the governments in the state and the Union are led by the same party,' said Balagopal. Such a stand impediments the belief that all states are treated equally by the Union government, Balagopal alleged. 'Can the people of Kerala or any other state be blamed if they feel that the Union government treats every state differently especially when states face great crises. It's stand does not help the values of federalism,' the FM said. Balagopal underlined that the BJP-led government has not announced a financial package for the state in the light of the massive landslides in Wayanad last year. He said that while the PM visited the areas where the landslides took place and recently came to the state to commission the Vizhinjam international seaport, both occasions did not see an announcement on the relief package. 'There should be equal justice in such matters. Everyone expects the rule of law and equity in such circumstances. It's not disasters and sufferings of people, but politics that is the criterion for the Union government to take such decisions. It is unbecoming of administrators,' the finance minister said. Last week, the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund had been accorded a license under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act 2010, making it eligible to receive aid from individuals and countries. It was reportedly given the approval after it fulfilled all the criteria.
Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Nilambur bypoll to be four-cornered contest
The June 19 bypoll in the Nilambur Assembly constituency in Kerala is shaping up to be a fierce four-cornered contest with the addition of PV Anvar and Mohan George as the Trinamool Congress (AITC) and BJP candidates, respectively, in the fray. Anvar, whose resignation in January as a Left-backed Independent lawmaker had forced the bypoll, said on Sunday that he would file his nomination papers on June 2 as an AITC candidate after his persistent efforts to be inducted into the Congress-led UDF proved to be unsuccessful. He said he was forced to take the decision as the UDF 'closed its doors' on him. At a press conference at his home, the former MLA lashed out at Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, terming him 'autocratic' and accusing him of blocking the path for him to be brought into the UDF. 'This bye-election is an opportunity for the common people of Nilambur to register their protest and grievances against the current LDF dispensation and the chief minister. Particularly, there are hardships being faced by the migrant settlers in hilly areas. We are fighting to win. We will get the anti-incumbency votes against the CM,' Anvar said. Anvar added that the UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath would not succeed in the bypoll as he does not have the strength to counter the politics of Pinarayi Vijayan. The businessman-politician, who won from Nilambur in 2016 and 2021 as an LDF-backed Independent, broke ranks with the LDF last year after levelling a series of allegations against top cop MR Ajith Kumar and senior CPI(M) leader P Sasi. Once seen as a close confidante of CM Vijayan, Anvar gradually made his opposition to the chief minister the bulwark of his politics. After resigning as MLA, Anvar signalled his support to the UDF and had even said that he would not contest the bypoll. Though he tried relentlessly through talks with various UDF leaders to enter the alliance, it is widely assessed that his personal rivalry with Shoukath, a man he had defeated in 2016, proved to be the sore point in the discussions. Satheesan told reporters on Sunday, 'We closed the door for talks with Anvar because he keeps repeating the same allegations against our candidate Aryadan Shoukath.' Meanwhile, on the eve of the last day for filing nominations, the BJP fielded Mohan George, a lawyer who accepted the party's membership on Sunday and was long associated with the PJ Joseph-led Kerala Congress and Kerala Congress (B). George, a native of Nilambur, is a council member of the Mar Thoma Sabha, a prominent Church in the state, and the vice-president of the Mar Thoma Church in Chungathara. George told reporters after his nomination, 'There will be a strong fight here, no doubt. The BJP has a good influence in Nilambur and we seek the votes of every community. I decided to leave the Kerala Congress party because it is not strong here in Malappuram district.' The BJP, through George's candidacy, is seen as building a bridge with the Christian community in the constituency who are a strong vote-bank and hold influence particularly in the high-range areas. While the bye-election in Nilambur is scheduled on June 19, the votes will be counted on June 23. Swaraj a candidate with 'clean image': Kerala CM CM Pinarayi Vijayan, addressing his first LDF election convention in Nilambur on Sunday, exhorted voters and LDF cadres to back M Swaraj stating that he is a candidate with a clean image. 'He (Swaraj) is known to everyone. You have received the news of his candidacy with a lot of is a candidate with a clean image. He can always ask for votes from anyone with his head held high. Such large public attendance at this convention attests to it,' said the CM. At the same time, the CM also trained his guns on Anvar, saying that his 'betrayal' to the Left forced the bypoll. In his convention speech, the CM listed the achievements of his administration and claimed that the state has become a model for good governance.
India Today
41 minutes ago
- India Today
Hope for peace? Russia, Ukraine set for talks in Istanbul but remain far apart
Russian and Ukrainian officials are due to sit down on Monday in the Turkish city of Istanbul for their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, but the two sides are still far apart on how to end the war and the fighting is stepping President Donald Trump has demanded Russia and Ukraine make peace, but so far they have not and the White House has repeatedly warned the United States will "walk away" from the war if the two sides are too stubborn to reach a peace first round of talks on May 16 yielded the biggest prisoner swap of the war but no sign of peace - or even a ceasefire as both sides merely set out their own opening negotiating positions. After keeping the world guessing about whether Ukraine would even turn up for the second round, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would meet with Russian officials in Russian delegation will be headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who after the first round invoked French general and statesman Napoleon Bonaparte to assert that war and negotiations should always be conducted at the same Sunday, Ukraine launched one of its most ambitious attacks of the war, targeting Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers in Siberia and other military bases, while the Kremlin launched 472 drones in Ukraine, Ukraine's air force said, the highest nightly total of the idea of direct talks was first proposed by President Vladimir Putin after Ukraine and European powers demanded that he agree to a ceasefire which the Kremlin said Russia would draft a memorandum setting out the broad contours of a possible peace accord and only then discuss a said over the weekend it was still waiting for a draft memorandum from the Russian the lead Kremlin negotiator, said on Sunday that Moscow had received a Ukraine's draft memorandum and told Russia's RIA news agency the Kremlin would react to it on to Trump envoy Keith Kellogg, the two sides will in Turkey present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms, though it is clear that after three years of war, Moscow and Kyiv remain far has indicated that the US will be involved in the talks and that even representatives from Britain, France and Germany will be too, though it was not clear at what level the United States would be delegation will also include its deputy foreign minister, as well as several military and intelligence officials, according to an executive order by Zelenskiy on June last year, Putin set out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war: Ukraine must drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw all of its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by negotiators in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by to the document, there will be no restrictions on Ukraine's military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow's forces, and reparations for document also stated that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,100 square km, about the same size as the US state of ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since has called Putin "crazy" and berated Zelenskiy in public in the Oval Office, but the US president has also said that he thinks peace is achievable and that if Putin delays then he could impose tough sanctions on Watch
