Russian figures call for blowing up their own tankers in open waters
Russian Federation calls to destroy its ships directly at sea (photo: Getty Images)
The Federation Council has proposed mining Russian shadow fleet oil tankers and blowing them up if they are detained by foreign states, in order to create environmental disasters, stated Senator and former head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin.
Vessel blowing up proposal
The Russian official called for explosives to be installed on civilian vessels linked to Russia, so they could be destroyed in the event of an attempt to arrest them under sanctions.
According to his idea, the threat of large-scale environmental pollution should deter European countries.
"We need to mine the tankers we use. Detonation should be triggered upon receipt of the appropriate orders, or if the tanker deviates from its route and is forcibly brought into a foreign port. A few explosions right under their noses, with oil spills and environmental consequences, and they'll immediately reconsider," Rogozin said.
The idea has been picked up by Russian military bloggers. They argue that since the Russian Navy is unable to provide military escort for hundreds of civilian vessels, the threat of blowing them up and causing oil spills near British or European coasts is the only effective lever of pressure.
Seizure of Smyrtos tanker
The trigger for such radical statements was the first-ever interception by the UK Armed Forces of Russian shadow fleet tanker Smyrtos, which took place in the English Channel.
The operation was carried out on the orders of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in cooperation with France.
The British prime minister called the seizure of the Cameroon-flagged vessel "a blow to Russia" and to those "fueling Putin's war in Ukraine." The 244-meter tanker is currently under guard, and an investigation is ongoing.
Russian analysts have already acknowledged that the incident creates a highly dangerous precedent for Moscow.
Hunt for Russia's shadow fleet
The international community has recently significantly increased pressure on the Kremlin's illicit oil transport network. It was reported in early June that the EU had authorized the use of force to stop vessels of the Russian shadow fleet.
In particular, under the EU IRINI naval operation in the Mediterranean, European forces have been authorized to board suspicious tankers and conduct physical inspections. The first such seizure of a sanctioned vessel occurred on June 1.
These measures have caused serious concern in Moscow. Earlier, Putin aide Nikolay Patrushev said that escort convoys were being considered to protect the shadow fleet from seizure and sabotage.
At the time, Russia was exploring options, including deploying warships for escort duties, placing armed teams on civilian vessels, and installing special protective equipment.
