Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported on Wednesday that the country intervened in response to what he described as “suspicious” activity from a ship associated with Russia’s “shadow fleet” near a power cable in the Baltic Sea. Security analysts have highlighted the existence of this shadow fleet, which consists of hundreds of vessels maneuvering to evade sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russian oil exports amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Concerns surrounding the security of undersea cables have intensified following the damage inflicted on several Baltic cables last year, with many observers characterizing these actions as a component of a “hybrid war” orchestrated by Russia against Western nations. Tusk elaborated on the situation, stating that the sanctioned Russian vessel was engaging in questionable maneuvers near a cable that connects Poland to Sweden. He confirmed that following a decisive intervention by Polish military forces, the vessel altered its course and returned to a port in Russia. The Prime Minister also noted that a survey vessel from the Polish navy was en route to assess the area.
Additionally, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz indicated that the incident occurred outside Polish territorial waters on Tuesday. He further announced an emergency meeting scheduled to take place at the Maritime Operations Command, which will include participation from Prime Minister Tusk.
This latest incident coincides with the European Union’s introduction of a new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, which was made public just the day prior. The newly adopted 17th package of sanctions aims to blacklist nearly 200 additional tankers within this fleet, reflecting the EU’s commitment to restricting Russia’s oil export capabilities in light of its ongoing aggression in Ukraine. The EU has also warned of further punitive measures against Moscow if it continues to reject proposals for a truce in the conflict.
