Latest news with #Sillamae
Russia Today
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Baltic country accuses Russia of detaining oil tanker
Estonian authorities have accused Russia of detaining a tanker carrying shale oil from the Baltic country. The incident reportedly took place not long after Tallinn attempted to inspect a vessel sailing from Russia. Western nations imposed maritime restrictions on Russia and an oil price cap on the country's crude exports, following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. They have since accused Russia of circumventing the restrictions by using a so-called 'shadow fleet' of tankers, which operate outside Western insurance systems. In a statement on Sunday, Estonia's Foreign Ministry claimed that earlier in the day, 'the Russian Federation detained the oil tanker Green Admire, sailing under the Liberian flag and owned by a Greek company, as it was departing from the Estonian Port of Sillamae and following a previously agreed route through Russian territorial waters.' According to officials in Tallinn, the vessel entered Russian waters under a trilateral agreement between Moscow, Tallinn and Helsinki, to avoid shallows. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that 'this is definitely connected to the fact that we have started to harass Russia's shadow fleet.' Tsahkna revealed that last week Estonian authorities attempted to 'inspect' an unflagged and uninsured vessel, which was passing through its exclusive economic zone, under suspicion that it has been sanctioned by the UK and belongs to Russia's 'shadow fleet.' A Russian fighter jet briefly violated Estonian airspace while accompanying the tanker, he added. Nikolay Patrushev, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, last month said that the EU and the UK were mulling further restrictions to disrupt Moscow's shipping activities that 'increasingly resemble a maritime blockade.' The official, who chairs Russia's Maritime Board, warned the 'hotheads in London or Brussels' that Moscow would not hesitate to deploy its Navy to ensure the security of Russian shipping, should diplomatic or legal instruments prove ineffective. In recent months, NATO has increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea after claiming that Russia had intentionally damaged undersea cables in the region.
LBCI
18-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Estonia says Russia detained a tanker in Baltic Sea
Russia detained a Greek-owned oil tanker on Sunday after it left an Estonian Baltic Sea port, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said, adding that it had alerted NATO allies to the incident. The Liberia-flagged ship Green Admire was leaving Sillamae port using a designated navigation channel that crosses Russian territorial waters, the ministry said in a statement. "Today's incident shows that Russia continues to behave unpredictably," said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. "I have also informed our Allies of the event." Reuters
Al Jazeera
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Russia detains Greek oil tanker after it departs Estonian port
Russia has detained a Greek oil tanker sailing under the Liberian flag as it left the Estonian port of Sillamae on a previously agreed route through Russian waters, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. In a statement published on Sunday, the ministry added that the vessel, the Green Admire, was undertaking a navigational route established in a deal between Russia, Estonia and Finland. The Baltic nation will redirect traffic to and from Sillamea exclusively through Estonian waters to prevent similar incidents in the future, it added. 'Today's incident shows that Russia continues to behave unpredictably,' Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. 'I have also informed our allies of the event,' he said, referring to other NATO members. Estonian Public Broadcasting (EPB), citing the Transport Administration, reported that the Greek tanker was carrying a cargo of shale oil destined for Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It added that such incidents had never occurred before. Vessels leaving Sillamae usually move through Russian waters to avoid Estonia's shallows, which can be dangerous for larger tankers, the EPB said. The incident took place after the Estonian navy on Thursday tried to stop an unflagged tanker that was said to be part of a Russian 'shadow fleet' of vessels sailing through Estonian waters. Russia responded by sending a fighter jet to escort the tanker, violating Estonia's airspace. The 'shadow fleet' is meant to help Moscow maintain its crude oil exports to avoid Western sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.
