Russian jet escorts shadow fleet tanker, breaches NATO airspace
The Estonian navy intercepted a tanker from the "shadow fleet" on Thursday, and a Russian Su-35 aircraft entered NATO airspace to cover it. As General Vahur Karus from the Estonian army noted, this marks the first occasion that the Russian air force has taken an active protective stance towards such a unit.
According to the general, the Russian Su-35 "shielded" the tanker for about two and a half hours, violating Estonian and NATO airspace for roughly one minute. In response, Portuguese F-16 fighters stationed at the Ämari base as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission undertook a reconnaissance flight.
According to Gen. Vahur Karus, Chief of the General Staff of the Estonian Armed Forces, this incident was the first time the Russian air force responded by assuming an "active protective position" towards such a unit.
Estonia's reaction to the incident
The Estonian navy, supported by a reconnaissance-patrol aircraft and a helicopter, escorted the tanker Jaguar en route to Primorsk in the Leningrad region.
The ship declared Gabon its flag state, but Gabonese authorities announced that they had stripped it of this right on 10 May, following sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom.
The navy attempted to ascertain its status when the ship entered Estonia's exclusive economic zone. Despite a lack of response, Estonian services did not plan to board. It was decided to guide the ship into Russian waters to avert any potential threats to underwater infrastructure, including the EstLink 1 power cable.
Diplomatic consequences
In the wake of the Russian aircraft's airspace violation, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires in Tallinn and delivered a diplomatic note.
This incident is yet another example showing that Russia poses a serious threat not only through its war in Ukraine but also to the NATO Alliance as a whole, declared Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
The challenging fight against dangerous tankers
Estonia, which has recently encountered several instances of disruptions to underwater power cables connecting the country, including with Finland, has approached NATO to deploy a "deterrence fleet" in the Baltic Sea. It has bolstered preventive measures against the so-called shadow fleet. Since June 2024, it has scrutinized the documents of approximately 460 ships and inspected seven ships at anchorages. This initiative has led to the detection of further falsifications and irregularities.
In April, Estonian authorities detained the ship Kiwala, which was heading to the Russian port of Ust-Luga and was found to be sanctioned by Canada, the European Union, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The ship's captain was reportedly a Chinese national, and most of the 24-member crew were from China and Mauritania.
The European Commission has developed mechanisms to monitor ships passing through its territory. It has also targeted ship insurance and certification. Without obtaining a seaworthiness certificate, insurance cannot be purchased or permission to enter ports granted. According to maritime law, the absence of this insurance automatically precludes transport. However, this control is feasible in ports and very challenging at sea.
