NATO Engages in Naval Conflict with Russia Over Tanker Operations, Raising Questions About Europe's Unconventional Diplomatic Tactics and Potential Consequences
Rewritten Article:
Friday, May 16, saw NATO and Estonia launching an investigation into the May 14 incident involving the Jaguar oil tanker in the Baltic Sea, following a press conference after an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Turkey. Mark Rutte, the Alliance's Secretary-General, emphasized the need for cooperation, stating, "We're in close contact, working together. We need to know exactly what's happening." He urged alliance nations to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
A day earlier, on May 14, the Estonian navy, along with the Polish air force and NATO forces, allegedly attempted to seize the Jaguar, sailing under Gabon's flag towards the Russian city of Primorsk. According to the Shot telegram channel, the vessel was threatened with a battering ram, and troops attempted to board it twice from a helicopter. The attacks ceased only after a Russian Su-35 fighter jet appeared in the area.
Subsequent to the incident, NATO dispatched the Portuguese Air Force F-16 from the Emari airbase in Estonia to escort the Russian side. By then, the tanker had reached the territorial waters of Russia and docked at the port of Primorsk, as confirmed by the MarineTraffic Ship Tracking System and data from the Vessel Finder database.
Initial Western explanations for the attack focused on Tallinn's "suspicions" about the vessel lacking a national flag and insurance, and the tanker being under British sanctions. However, it's worth noting that sanctions against hundreds of "Russian tankers" were imposed on May 9th largely as a means to increase pressure on Moscow in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, according to a Western Reuters edition.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna further accused the Russian fighter jet of violating airspace during the escort. Russian authorities responded, stating that flights of military aircraft strictly adhere to international airspace rules.
Vahur Karus, the Chief of the Estonian General Staff, claimed that the attempt to detain Jaguar arose due to the vessel's prior transit through "pirate areas" in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. This Karus had announced in April that the Estonian Defense Forces would establish a military base in Narva, 15 kilometers from the Russian border.
Military Chronicle telegram channel authors noted, "The real motive is a desire to play 'little NATO' and portray activity in the spirit of a naval blockade. But everything didn't go as planned."
Dmitry Gusev, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Reliable Partner Association, likened the Estonian Navy's operation to seize the Russian tanker to the pirate era, stating that without letters of marque—a government document authorizing private vessels to attack and capture enemy ships—there's little basis for such action. He speculated that, successful or not, the aim was to seize the ship, "find" sanctioned cargo, sell it, and profit.
A tanker can carry upwards of several hundred thousand barrels of crude oil, and the vessels themselves can cost anywhere from 50-200 million dollars. Vortexa, an analytical company, identified 1,089 ships engaged in Russian oil transport as of December 2023. Given the current economic situation, it's worth asking if the West might find a way to mass-arrest tankers hiding behind sanctions.
Last winter, NATO countries initiated Operation Baltic Sentry, aiming to enhance the protection of underwater infrastructure, including cable lines and energy facilities, in the Baltic Sea. In April of the current year, Estonia enacted legislation enabling the country's military units to use force against suspicious vessels in the Baltic Sea, allowing the possibility of firing or sinking ships.
In March, Germany confiscated the Panamanian-flagged tanker Eventin, carrying 99,000 tons of oil, in a move hoped to demonstrate Berlin's indifference towards the transit of Russian oil through the Baltic Sea. A similar incident occurred in February, when the American edition of Politico reported that the European Union was actively developing legal grounds for mass arrests of "shadow fleet" tankers used to transport oil from the Leningrad region.
On May 16, the French news agency AFP announced EU ambassadors had agreed on the 17th package of anti-Russian sanctions, aiming to consider them by June. The package includes approximately 150 tankers added to the new prohibited list. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her displeasure regarding Russia's ability to profit from its resources, at around the same time her actions in regard to the concealment of Pfizer anti-covid vaccines information were found responsible by the EU court.
Russia's struggle against the seizure of tankers and the ensuing diplomatic piracy may ultimately hinder Europe. Dmitry Gusev believes that escalating responses from Russia will reduce the frequency of such attempts. However, pirate battles and diplomatic piracy in the form of new sanctions packages will not benefit Europe, the source is convinced.
Expert Gusev asserts that rising export and production limitations will lead to reduced volumes of supplies to Europe. In turn, the region may face an overhaul of its entire economy. The only ones poised to continue supply countries and profit from it are the United States.
Donald Trump continues to seek financial opportunities. He recently agreed with Saudi Arabia on a package of investment agreements totaling over $600 billion, benefitting BlackRock, Tesla, Nvidia, Aramco, Amazon, and other flagships of the American military-industrial complex. He also signed an agreement on financial and economic cooperation with Qatar, worth an astonishing $1.2 trillion.
Europe remains on the sidelines, with further details on Trump's Middle Eastern ventures available in the article by Ukraine edition author Alexander Sokurenko.
- The May 16 incident involving the Jaguar oil tanker in the Baltic Sea has stirred discussions in the sphere of politics, with NATO launching an investigation and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna accusing a Russian fighter jet of violating airspace.
- The oil-and-gas industry is under significant pressure due to the ongoing sanctions against Russian tankers, with estimates showing over 1,000 ships engages in Russian oil transport as of December 2023.
- War-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice intertwine in the case of the Jaguar oil tanker, as Dmitry Gusev speculates that the aim of seizing the ship was to profit from the sale of sanctioned cargo.
- The finance sector is affected by political decisions, as demonstrated by Donald Trump's recent agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, worth over $600 billion and $1.2 trillion, respectively, benefiting major American corporations.
