Putin threatens to seize European ships in response to Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels being captured

 Vladimir Putin today dramatically threatened to seize British ships in the Pacific.

He framed the move as a tit-for-tat if Andy Burnham orders the arrest of more Russian shadow fleet tankers carrying oil to boost Moscow's war coffers.

Dressed in naval-style uniform, Putin went aboard the missile cruiser Varyag for Pacific Fleet war games, as a show of strength to the West.

His fleet commander, Admiral Viktor Liina, said that he had identified 26 British commercial vessels since April in Russia's exclusive economic zone, adding: 'We have the capabilities to inspect and detain vessels from unfriendly states and their shadow fleet…We are ready to begin tackling these tasks.'

Putin made clear he was ready to confront the West.

'We can see that the authorities of some [European] countries, in violation of international maritime law, are trying to restrict the movement of vessels belonging to our economic operators,' he said.

'Peaceful vessels, I want to emphasise. And recently they have gone so far as to seize our vessels and sell property looted from us. Naturally, this is nothing other than piracy and robbery.'

If countries continue to implement the measures, 'we will be forced to respond in kind,' said Putin, after flying to Russia's largest island Sakhalin for the naval drills. 

Such action would take place 'not necessarily in the same waters where raids on our ships and vessels are being planned, but wherever we ourselves consider it necessary and appropriate.

'Anywhere, including within the Pacific Fleet's area of responsibility.'

The dictator warned: 'I would ask you to pay attention to this.

'The Defence Ministry has been given such an instruction, and I know that it has also been passed on to the Pacific Fleet command.'

On June 14, Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned shadow-fleet tanker Smyrtos in international waters, some 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight.

Commandos fast-roped from helicopters during a six-hour operation supported by HMS Sutherland, HMS Ledbury and RAF aircraft.

One option was to sell the seized oil - worth up to £40 million - and give the proceeds to Ukraine.

The admiral said: 'In the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation alone...

'1001 vessels passed through between April 24 and August 6, 2026.

'Of these, 379 were flying the flags of unfriendly states, including 273 dry cargo ships and 71 tankers.

'This included 26 British vessels and nine French vessels.

'At the same time, Western states are actively using vessels flying the flags of third countries to transport cargo in their own interests.

'In essence, this is their shadow fleet.

'We have the capabilities to inspect and detain vessels from unfriendly states and their shadow fleet. Inter-agency coordination is in place.

'We are ready to begin tackling these tasks.'

Putin's security council number two Dmitry Medvedev rammed home the Russian threat.

'The overwhelming majority of Western European vessels also sail under flags of convenience,' he said.

'And what does that mean?

'It means that, following a symmetrical approach, which is only fair, Russia has the right to attack any merchant vessel belonging to hostile countries, whether in our waters or in neutral waters, if there are sufficient grounds to suspect that it is carrying cargo in the interests of the enemy. In other words, any cargo at all.