Russia asserted on Thursday that it reserved the right to defend its interests against what it called "acts of piracy," after the revelation of the escort of sanctioned oil tankers by a Russian frigate in the English Channel, off the coast of the United Kingdom.
According to press reports, the Russian frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" accompanied two oil tankers targeted by British sanctions — the "Universal", flying the Russian flag, and the "Enigma", under the Cameroonian flag — during their passage through this strategic area.
Reacting to these revelations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the operation, stating that Moscow had repeatedly observed acts of "piracy" in international waters. According to him, these incidents had harmed Russian economic interests, justifying enhanced security measures.
"In recent months, we have seen repeated acts of piracy in international waters," said Dmitri Peskov, stressing that Russia intends to guarantee the safety of its maritime navigation.
This stance comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Western countries, particularly regarding economic sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector. The presence of sanctioned vessels in sensitive areas like the English Channel represents a further point of contention.
The military escort of oil tankers could be perceived as a show of force, likely to fuel concerns about maritime security and freedom of navigation in international waters.
In this tense climate, Russia claims to want to protect its economic interests, while Western countries closely monitor any attempt to circumvent existing sanctions.
Community
Comments
Comments are open, but protected against spam. Initial posts and comments containing links undergo manual review.
Be the first to comment on this article.