Russian Navy Pledge to Counter Western Blockades
In an interview with the Russian outlet Argumenty i Fakty, Presidential Aide and Maritime Board Chairman Nikolay Patrushev called the recent detention of Russian oil tankers “piratical, in essence, attacks.” The warning follows the interception of the tanker Grinch by the French Navy in the Western Mediterranean on January 22. The vessel, traveling from Murmansk, was suspected of being part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to bypass international sanctions.
Since late 2025, Ukraine has escalated attacks on Russian tankers using Sea Baby naval drones. Vessels including Kairos, Virat, Dashan, and Elbus were struck in the Black Sea, while in December, the tanker Qendil was targeted in the Mediterranean.
The potential for systematic detentions of Russian vessels was reportedly discussed by the UK, Baltic, and Scandinavian nations at the Munich Security Conference this month. Over 600 ships from Russia’s shadow fleet have already been sanctioned by the EU, the UK, and the US.
Patrushev argued that these measures show Western opponents are targeting a critical sector of Russia’s economy—foreign trade—with the aim of paralyzing it. He predicted that such attacks on vessels and cargo will likely increase in frequency going forward.
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