Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday addressed the persisting issue of European governments and navies seizing what they deem Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels off Europe's coast.
The past year alone has seen several examples, sometimes involving French or Swedish commandos descending onto a tanker's deck from helicopters and arresting crew members. The seized vessels are then taken to nearby European ports.
The latest European Union sanctions package passed last month stipulates that EU members can sell the oil or any seized cargo obtained from these 'shadow fleet' vessels.
Putin has reiterated Kremlin outrage at this scheme, condemning it as "piracy and banditry". This after Sweden has lately declared its intent to hand seized Russian grain over to Ukraine.
The Russian leader's patience has reached its limit, apparently, as he is now putting European governments that their own ships become at risk of seizure in return.
"We will be forced to respond in kind," Putin said while overseeing naval drills in Russia's Far East, aboard the Russian cruiser Varyag off the island of Sakhalin.
Russian forces will act "wherever we ourselves deem necessary and appropriate — anywhere," he added.
According to some of his fuller remarks as translated and presented in Reuters:
"We can see that the authorities of certain countries, in violation of international maritime law, are attempting to restrict the movement of our economic operators’ vessels..., and have recently gone so far as to consider the possibility of seizing our vessels and selling off the property they have plundered from us," said Putin.
"Naturally, this is nothing less than piracy and robbery. And if this begins to be put into practice, we shall be forced to respond in kind. And not necessarily in those waters where raids on our ships and vessels are planned, but wherever we ourselves deem it necessary and appropriate."
So while Russia would not likely act in European waters, such a scenario would be more likely to go down in places like the Black Sea or Baltic region, or perhaps the faraway Indian Ocean.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens to seize ships belonging to European countries in retaliation for plans to intercept and seize Russian vessels suspected of being part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet.” pic.twitter.com/k6Dig6bvni
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) August 12, 2026
Putin also took the opportunity to address broader tensions with NATO and spillover from the Ukraine conflict, but also as it specifically impacts the Pacific and Arctic regions...
"We can see that, unfortunately, the potential for conflict is growing here; NATO is making inroads here; new military-political blocs are being formed; and new weapons systems are being deployed here, or are planned for deployment, which also pose a threat to our country," the president said.
