Russia releases Greek-owned oil tanker after brief detention near Estonia

By euronews with ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

Published on 20/05/2025 - 11:24 GMT+2

Russia has released a Greek-owned lipid tanker which was was seized connected Sunday successful Russian waters aft leaving a larboard successful Estonia, nan Estonian nationalist broadcaster ERR reported.

The Liberian-flagged Green Admire is now sailing successful nan Baltic Sea and is headed for nan Dutch larboard of Rotterdam, according to ERR and nan LSEG vessel search information service.

The tanker was seized by Russian authorities aft departing from nan Estonian larboard of Sillamäe and utilizing a designated navigation transmission that crosses Russian waters, Estonia's overseas ministry said connected Sunday.

Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that Russia's action against nan Green Admire was apt a consequence to nan Estonian navy's run against Russia's alleged "shadow fleet", successful which it is inspecting tankers utilized to carrier millions of barrels of Russian lipid done nan Baltic Sea.

"(The) incident shows that Russia continues to behave unpredictably," Tsahkna said connected Sunday, referring to Moscow's detention of nan Green Admire. "I person besides informed our friends of nan event," he said, referring to different NATO members.

To forestall akin incidents successful nan future, Estonia will redirect marine postulation to and from Sillamäe exclusively done Estonian territorial waters, nan overseas ministry said.

A Russian combatant pitchy entered NATO airspace past week aft Estonia’s navy had intercepted a suspected protector fleet vessel successful its waters, according to Tsahkna.

Russia's protector fleet is made up of aging tankers bought used, often by non-transparent entities pinch addresses successful non-sanctioning countries specified arsenic nan United Arab Emirates aliases nan Marshall Islands, and flagged successful places for illustration Gabon aliases nan Cook Islands.

The European Union has been targeting nan ships, which sometimes besides transportation stolen Ukrainian grain, pinch sanctions. In February, 70 vessels believed to beryllium portion of nan protector fleet were added to much than 50 already listed.

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