Estonian navy intercepts Russian tanker near vital cables
The Estonian navy escorted the tanker "Jaguar" from the Russian shadow fleet. "To avoid any threat to Estonia's underwater infrastructure, the ship was escorted out of Estonian waters to Russian waters," said Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur.
Key information
- The Estonian navy escorted the tanker "Jaguar".
- The ship belonged to the Russian shadow fleet and was approaching the EstLink cable.
- The intervention aimed to protect Estonia's underwater infrastructure.
The Estonian navy took action against the tanker "Jaguar", which belonged to the Russian shadow fleet. The ship was approaching Estonian underwater infrastructure, raising security concerns. A decision was made to initiate action involving a naval warship, a helicopter, and an aeroplane.
We prepared for the possibility that if this vessel entered Estonia's area of responsibility and approached EstLink, we would escort it and try to determine its status, said the head of the Estonian Ministry of Defence.
Hanno Pevkur emphasised that the purpose of the escort was to avoid any threat to critical underwater infrastructure and to send a clear signal that "the situation is being taken seriously."
Reactions and consequences
In the last 18 months, ships leaving or arriving at Russian ports have led to the destruction of a gas pipeline, a power cable, and several communication cables. Repairing the damaged EstLink 2 cable is expected to continue until July.
Commander Ivo Värk, commander of the Estonian navy, reported that the unflagged ship is anchored near Gogland Island, and its destination was the port of Primorsk in Russia, where it is expected to arrive at 5:00 am GMT on Thursday.
The actions of the Estonian navy demonstrate the importance of monitoring ship movements in the region. Protecting underwater infrastructure remains a priority for Estonia, especially in the context of previous incidents.
