How the EU will limit Russia's "shadow fleet"

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful announced increased control over underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea due to the threat of sabotage by the Russian shadow fleet.

He warned that Russia posed a danger to the entire region and announced new sanctions and increased patrols.

The "shadow fleet" refers to Russian tankers and cargo ships that circumvent sanctions, particularly regarding oil exports.

According to Vadful, these vessels transport oil every day, which brings significant income to the Kremlin, and pose a direct threat to security in the Baltic Sea.

This also helps Ukraine because the shadow fleet transports oil every day that Russia sells without sanctions.

The European Union is currently preparing the 17th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes stricter restrictions on the shadow fleet.

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže emphasized that about 84% of Russian crude oil exports pass through the Baltic Sea via this fleet, providing more than a third of Russia's budget.

Vaddeful stressed the importance of joint actions between NATO, the EU, and neighboring countries to counter hybrid threats and protect the region's critical infrastructure.

The new measures are intended to make it more difficult for Russia to evade sanctions and strengthen security in the Baltic Sea.

Recall that on April 11, the Estonian Defense Forces detained the oil tanker Kiwala after it entered the Tallinn Bay without a flag. As it turned out, the vessel is part of the Russian "shadow fleet", which the Russian Federation uses to transport oil to circumvent sanctions.