The restrictions on free shipping in the Baltic Sea are part of a strategy by the European Union and NATO to contain Russia and hinder its foreign trade. This was stated on Tuesday by the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, quoted by “Interfax“, reports News.bg.
In a comment published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Zakharova described as “provocative“ the actions of the Swedish authorities to detain, arrest and inspect ships passing through Swedish territorial waters. According to her, these actions are part of a coordinated effort to restrict free navigation and put pressure on Moscow.
She also stated that Russia is ready to respond to any attempts to seize or detain ships acting in its favor, “anywhere in the world's oceans“.
Zakharova also commented on the release of the tanker Sea Owl 1, detained by Swedish authorities in March. According to her, this case is not unique, as she accused Sweden of illegally detaining ships on suspicion of belonging to the so-called Russian “shadow fleet“.
The tanker Sea Owl 1 was detained in Swedish territorial waters on charges of falsifying registration documents and operating a technically defective ship. At the time of the detention, the vessel was flying the flag of the Comoros, and there were ten Russian citizens on board, including the captain, who was subsequently taken into custody.
According to Zakharova, the tanker was released in May and left Sweden. The last Russian citizen disembarked in October, and after re-registration under the flag of Equatorial Guinea, the ship left Swedish waters on October 12.
The spokesperson added that since the detention, the Russian embassy in Stockholm has maintained constant contact with the captain and crew and provided them with the necessary consular and other assistance.