Sweden detected Russian military personnel on "shadow fleet" tankers in the Baltic Sea
Kyiv • UNN
The Swedish Navy and Coast Guard report the presence of Russian military personnel on vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil. An increase in Russian military activity is also being observed near key maritime routes, where 500 to 1,000 such vessels operate.
The Swedish Navy and Border Guard report the presence of Russian military personnel on vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil, as well as increased Russian military activity near key maritime routes. This is reported by SVT, according to UNN.
Details
According to the country's Navy, Russian military personnel are on board some of the vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil.
We have seen and received information that Russian personnel in uniform are on some vessels of the "shadow" fleet.
This information was also confirmed by the Swedish Border Guard, noting that Russian military forces are constantly present in special zones near key maritime routes.
Petkovic said that Moscow continues to increase its activity in the region, and monitoring Russian ships has already become common for the Swedish Navy. At the same time, he stressed that increased attention from NATO has a positive impact on shipping safety.
Despite this, Russia officially denies the existence of a "shadow fleet," calling it a Western fabrication, although it actually maintains a constant presence of its forces along important sea lanes.
According to the Swedish Border Guard, there are currently 500 to 1000 such vessels at sea, more than 300 of which sail under foreign flags. In addition to transporting oil, these vessels are suspected of being involved in sabotage against underwater cables. At the same time, no cases of sabotage have been recorded since the start of Operation Baltic Sentry in January.
Recall
The Swedish Navy almost weekly detects Russian submarines in the Baltic Sea. Sweden is preparing for a possible increase in their number in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine.