Latest news with #Häkkänen
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Putin Giving ‘Shadow Fleet' Warship Escorts: Finland Defense Official
Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed warships to escort his covert "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, according to Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen. Putin's military vessels are now guarding the fleet through the Gulf of Finland, the official said, calling the move unprecedented. Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment. Russia put together its so-called "shadow fleet" to circumvent curbs on its oil exports in response to Western sanctions levied after Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Operating primarily in the Baltic Sea, the fleet consists of older tankers with opaque ownership structures, often lacking proper insurance and frequently changing flag registrations. These vessels account for approximately 17 percent of the global oil tanker fleet. The alleged deployment of warships to guard the fleet is significant as it signals a clear link to the Kremlin. "The Russian military presence in the region has always been visible, this is not a new feature. However, what is new is that Russia is protecting its shadow fleet tankers in the narrow passage of the Gulf of Finland," Häkkänen told Finnish broadcasting company Yle on Saturday. "Military escort and the presence of armed forces is observed. This is a completely new thing," Häkkänen said. Experts say the vessels are being used by Russia to circumvent curbs on its oil exports. Officials have also sounded the alarm that vessels from the Russian shadow fleet can be used for signals intelligence, or intercepting communications. NATO officials have also accused Moscow of using such vessels to carry out sabotage of critical infrastructure, such as undersea cables. Russia has not commented on the shadow fleet. Häkkänen said Finland doesn't consider the deployment of warships a direct threat to the country yet, but "it's clear that Russia is strengthening its military capabilities and remains an aggressive and dangerous neighbor to all of Europe." On Friday, the Finnish Ministry of Defense announced that two Russian military aircraft had violated the country's airspace off the coast of Porvoo, prompting an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, Russia also sparked alarm when it was reported to have deployed a Su-35 fighter jet inside Estonian airspace to protect an oil tanker on May 13. "This fighter jet violated NATO territory for one minute. This is something very new," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said at a NATO meeting in Turkey. "We need to understand that Russia has officially tied and connected itself to the Russian shadow fleet." He added: "We need to understand that the situation is really serious." NATO member states have held talks on how to seize Putin's shadow fleet, Politico reported in February, citing two European Union diplomats and two government officials. Some have suggested seizing the vessels on the grounds of international law, either for environmental reasons or piracy. The EU and Britain adopted sanctions this month against the shadow fleet. United States President Donald Trump has also extended a Biden-era ban on Russian ships docking in U.S. ports, citing national security concerns. The European Parliament said in November 2024: "To evade sanctions, the Russian 'shadow fleet' makes use of flags of convenience and intricate ownership and management structures while employing a variety of tactics to conceal the origins of its cargo, including: ship-to-ship transfers; automatic identification system blackouts; falsified positions; transmission of false data; and other deceptive or even illegal techniques. In addition to bolstering its war chest, Russia's 'shadow fleet', which consists of a growing number of aging and poorly maintained vessels that operate with minimal regard to the regulations, poses significant environmental, maritime safety, and security risks. "As Russia depends increasingly on its 'shadow fleet' to maintain oil exports, the EU and allied nations have implemented measures to counter these evasive tactics. These include imposing targeted sanctions on specific vessels and enhancing international collaboration to disrupt such activities." NATO officials will continue to monitor the activities of the fleet for possible sabotage activities. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has vowed a "firm response" should there be any attack on infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Related Articles Zelensky Raises Alarm Over New Russian Offensive: 'Ample Evidence'Putin's Henchman Addresses Rumors He's DyingPutin Ally Shares Map Of 'Buffer Zone' Covering All Of UkraineRussia Sees $1 Billion Wiped off Stock Market After Trump's Putin Comments 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Putin Giving 'Shadow Fleet' Warship Escorts: Finland Defense Official
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed warships to escort his covert "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, according to Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen. Putin's military vessels are now guarding the fleet through the Gulf of Finland, the official said, calling the move unprecedented. Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment. Why It Matters Russia put together its so-called "shadow fleet" to circumvent curbs on its oil exports in response to Western sanctions levied after Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Operating primarily in the Baltic Sea, the fleet consists of older tankers with opaque ownership structures, often lacking proper insurance and frequently changing flag registrations. These vessels account for approximately 17 percent of the global oil tanker fleet. The alleged deployment of warships to guard the fleet is significant as it signals a clear link to the Kremlin. What To Know "The Russian military presence in the region has always been visible, this is not a new feature. However, what is new is that Russia is protecting its shadow fleet tankers in the narrow passage of the Gulf of Finland," Häkkänen told Finnish broadcasting company Yle on Saturday. "Military escort and the presence of armed forces is observed. This is a completely new thing," Häkkänen said. Experts say the vessels are being used by Russia to circumvent curbs on its oil exports. Officials have also sounded the alarm that vessels from the Russian shadow fleet can be used for signals intelligence, or intercepting communications. NATO officials have also accused Moscow of using such vessels to carry out sabotage of critical infrastructure, such as undersea cables. Russia has not commented on the shadow fleet. Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during Russian-Qatari talks at the Grand Kremlin Palace on April 17, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during Russian-Qatari talks at the Grand Kremlin Palace on April 17, 2025. Contributor/Getty Images Häkkänen said Finland doesn't consider the deployment of warships a direct threat to the country yet, but "it's clear that Russia is strengthening its military capabilities and remains an aggressive and dangerous neighbor to all of Europe." On Friday, the Finnish Ministry of Defense announced that two Russian military aircraft had violated the country's airspace off the coast of Porvoo, prompting an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, Russia also sparked alarm when it was reported to have deployed a Su-35 fighter jet inside Estonian airspace to protect an oil tanker on May 13. "This fighter jet violated NATO territory for one minute. This is something very new," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said at a NATO meeting in Turkey. "We need to understand that Russia has officially tied and connected itself to the Russian shadow fleet." He added: "We need to understand that the situation is really serious." NATO member states have held talks on how to seize Putin's shadow fleet, Politico reported in February, citing two European Union diplomats and two government officials. Some have suggested seizing the vessels on the grounds of international law, either for environmental reasons or piracy. The EU and Britain adopted sanctions this month against the shadow fleet. United States President Donald Trump has also extended a Biden-era ban on Russian ships docking in U.S. ports, citing national security concerns. What People Are Saying The European Parliament said in November 2024: "To evade sanctions, the Russian 'shadow fleet' makes use of flags of convenience and intricate ownership and management structures while employing a variety of tactics to conceal the origins of its cargo, including: ship-to-ship transfers; automatic identification system blackouts; falsified positions; transmission of false data; and other deceptive or even illegal techniques. In addition to bolstering its war chest, Russia's 'shadow fleet', which consists of a growing number of aging and poorly maintained vessels that operate with minimal regard to the regulations, poses significant environmental, maritime safety, and security risks. "As Russia depends increasingly on its 'shadow fleet' to maintain oil exports, the EU and allied nations have implemented measures to counter these evasive tactics. These include imposing targeted sanctions on specific vessels and enhancing international collaboration to disrupt such activities." What Happens Next NATO officials will continue to monitor the activities of the fleet for possible sabotage activities. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has vowed a "firm response" should there be any attack on infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia uses warships to protect its shadow fleet
Russia has started using warships to escort shadow fleet tankers in the Gulf of Finland for the first time. Source: Moscow Times Quote: "Russia has always had a military presence in the region... What is new is that Russia is now protecting tankers belonging to its shadow fleet in the narrow waters of the Gulf of Finland. This has involved military escort operations and the presence of armed forces," said Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen. Details: The Finnish Navy confirmed the increase in military traffic in the region. Häkkänen stressed that he did not consider this a direct threat to Finland but noted: "But it's clear that Russia is strengthening its military capabilities and remains an aggressive and dangerous neighbour to all of Europe." On 13 May, Estonia attempted to stop the Jaguar tanker, which belongs to the Kremlin's shadow fleet. In response, Russia launched a Su-35 fighter jet that violated NATO airspace to escort the vessel to the port of Primorsk. Background: On 19 May, the Russian authorities released the Green Admire tanker, which had been detained in Russian territorial waters on 18 May after leaving the port of Sillamäe, Estonia, with a shale oil cargo. The French Navy deployed the 101-metre-long reconnaissance vessel Dupuy de Lome to the Baltic Sea for the first time to intercept radio signals related to Russian activities. Estonia decided not to use the route that passes through Russian territorial waters any more after Russia detained the Green Admire oil tanker. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Finland's Foreign Ministry summons Russian ambassador in response to Russian aircraft's violation of Finnish airspace
Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the ambassador of the Russian Federation, demanding an explanation for the violation of Finnish airspace by Russian military aircraft on 23 May. Source: Finnish public service media company Yle, as reported by European Pravda Details: Two Russian military aircraft are suspected of entering Finnish airspace near the town of Porvoo. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen stated at the time that the suspected violation of territorial integrity was being taken seriously. A formal request demanding an explanation will be sent to Russia. The Gulf of Finland Coast Guard has launched a preliminary investigation into the incident. Häkkänen also said that Russian activity in the Baltic Sea has clearly increased, raising tensions in the region. Background: Last week, Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Iraqi News
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Europe needs roadmap from US on any troop pullout, says Finnish defense minister
INA- sources European NATO allies should have a "clear roadmap" spelling out how any U.S. pullout from the continent would work, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen told POLITICO. 'We need to have some sort of joint plan with Americans about a roadmap if the Americans are shifting the balance in the Pacific area in conventional defense capabilities," he said in a phone interview following an informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Warsaw. He called for a "clear roadmap" from Washington "so that there will be no kind of window of opportunity for Russia to try something," and said that U.S plans should coordinate with EU initiatives to boost the bloc's defense capacity. Häkkänen's comments echo those of German Defense Boris Pistorius, who last month asked his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth to 'develop a roadmap to avoid gaps in capabilities, organize burden sharing progressively, to know who does what' in case the U.S shifts forces from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. Pistorius said he got no answer from either the White House or the Pentagon. European countries are scrambling to recalibrate the continent's defenses as the administration of Donald Trump wages economic war against the EU, warms ties with Russia, warns it may not defend NATO allies it feels underspend on defense, and threatens to invade Greenland. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — in Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers — dismissed worries about America's commitment to the alliance as "hysteria." At the same meeting, NATO chief Mark Rutte argued there are "no surprises" within the alliance and that any U.S. pivot toward Asia would be done "in a very coordinated manner." The Finnish minister was sympathetic to U.S. arguments about the need to shift to Asia. "The message I get from the Americans, and from the Pentagon side, is that we need to understand their pressure [from] China's military buildup in the Indo-Pacific area." But any U.S. pullback from Europe poses dangers for the continent, and especially for countries close to Russia, Häkkänen warned. "Europe is too weak without U.S capabilities. It must be complemented with European capabilities,' said the minister, whose country shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia and whose defense forces are able to call on almost a million reservists and a whole-of-society security model of crisis preparedness. Finland joined NATO two years ago as a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The EU is playing a larger role in defense to deter the threat from Russia, an effort spurred by growing worries about the reliability of the alliance with the U.S. Häkkänen said that European Commission plans that could potentially unleash €800 billion in military spending by relaxing national fiscal rules and by offering €150 billion in defense loans, in order to boost the bloc's defenses by 2030, are "on the right track." EU leaders are expected to take a position on the Commission proposals in June. "Americans want to see clear decisions from European countries," he said.
