Russia may use military force to protect shadow fleet, Estonia warns

Estonia has warned that Russia is consenting to protect its protector fleet of ageing tankers pinch subject force.

Moscow is thought to run dozens of these oil-transporting vessels to debar sanctions imposed connected it aft its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

The informing astir Moscow's willingness to connection subject protection to its protector fleet came aft Estonia precocious intercepted a suspicious alloy successful its waters.

The Estonian navy stopped nan ship, named 'The Jaguar', because it was flying nary emblem and appeared not to person immoderate insurance.

Speaking astatine a NATO gathering successful Turkey connected Thursday, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said a Russian subject level appeared connected nan segment while nan vessel had been stopped.

“This combatant pitchy violated NATO territory, for 1 minute," he told reporters, adding that a NATO craft scrambled to intercept nan Russian fighter.

"This is thing very new. So we request to understand that Russia has officially tried and connected itself to Russian protector fleet," he said.

Russia's protector fleet is made up of poorly-kept vessels, which person obscure ownership and security structures.

The EU has been targeting nan ships, which sometimes besides transportation stolen Ukrainian grain, pinch sanctions.

EU overseas ministers are expected to slap sanctions connected dozens much adjacent week.