Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Wednesday to seize ships belonging to European countries, in retaliation for plans to sell cargoes seized from ships in Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
Several European companies have intercepted ships carrying Russian oil, in violation of European sanctions targeting this vital source of revenue.
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New sanctions passed last month allow EU member states to sell the oil or any other cargo seized from the ships.
Moscow reacted strongly to these moves, with Putin calling them “piracy and robbery.”
“We will be forced to respond in kind,” the Kremlin leader said from Russia’s Far East.
Moscow will act “wherever we ourselves deem it necessary and appropriate—anywhere,” he added.
Documents from a Swedish court obtained by Agence France-Presse earlier in August showed that Stockholm will hand over to Kyiv a seized Russian ship that isto transport grain from occupied Ukraine.
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Putin was speaking from the Russian cruiser “Varyag” off the coast of Sakhalin Island, where the Russian navy conducted exercises one week prior to the joint U.S.and South Korea, which are designed to simulate a potential invasion by North Korea.
Tensions in the region have escalated amid accusations from Kyiv and Seoul that Pyongyang and Moscow are further strengthening their military cooperation.
SOURCE: KYPE
