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| Estonia images show machine guns on Russian LNG carrier in Baltic |
| 2026-07-01 |
| [ROOT] Estonia has released images showing machine guns and sandbags mounted on a Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas carrier in the Baltic Sea this spring, signalling a more confrontational stance by Moscow in protecting its civilian fleet. The surveillance images show fortified machine gun positions on the bridge roof of the Marshal Vasilevskiy, a civilian vessel whose home port is Kaliningrad. Armed guards are common on ships transiting piracy hotspots, but it is "a crazy new step" for civilian vessels in the Baltic, said Yoruk Isik, a geopolitical analyst who runs the Bosphorus Observer consultancy. "This is a hostile move by Russia to send a message to EU and NATO nations that it will actively oppose any attempt to detain or inspect its ships," Isik told Reuters. "There is no justification for self defence posture like a machine gun in the Baltic... This clearly shows that the high seas are becoming increasingly lawless." The Marshal Vasilevskiy, owned by Gazprom unit Gazprom Flot LLC, has transported LNG to Kaliningrad from a port near St Petersburg four times since the start of 2025, most recently in May, according to LSEG ship tracking data. The route runs along Estonia's coastline. The images "were taken this spring on the Baltic Sea... within Estonia's area of responsibility", a spokesperson for the Estonian Police and Border Guard service said on Monday. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2026-07-01 14:40 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2026-07-01 14:38 |