Poland intervenes as Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ship spotted near power cable
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Russia uses a “shadow fleet” of vessels to ship oil, arms and grain in violation of international sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WARSAW - Poland’s military intervened after a ship from the Russian “shadow fleet” was seen performing suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, Poland’s Prime Minister said on May 21.
Nato has stepped up security in the Baltic
“A Russian ship from the ‘shadow fleet’ covered by sanctions performed suspicious manoeuvres near the power cable connecting Poland with Sweden,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on social media platform X.
“After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports.”
“Shadow fleet” refers to vessels used by Russia
Speaking later to reporters, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a patrol flight scared the ship off and added that the Polish Navy’s ORP Heweliusz was sailing to the scene.
Vice-Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski, Poland’s maritime component commander, told Reuters that the tanker in question was called Sun, and it sailed under the Antigua flag.
The Russian embassy in Warsaw declined to comment.
In the past, Moscow has denied involvement in undersea sabotage in the Baltic, saying the West was using such claims to curb Russia’s sea-borne oil exports.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X that a Russian shadow fleet vessel was spotted performing suspicious maneuvers near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The 600MW undersea cable links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn with Ustka in northern Poland and allows both grids to rely on cross-border supplies when electricity is cheaper in the other system.
A spokesperson for Polish grid operator PSE said the cable was working. PSE data showed more than 600MW were flowing to Sweden through the cable at 1130 GMT.
“This shows how dangerous the times we live in are, how serious the situation in the Baltic Sea is,” Mr Kosiniak-Kamysz told a news conference.
“Since Sweden and Finland joined the North Atlantic Alliance, the Baltic Sea has become a key marine area, where the largest number of incidents occur, the most common incidents related to cable breaks... and sabotage.”
He vowed a “firm response” from Poland and Nato to any attack on Baltic Sea infrastructure.
Stockholm, asked about the incident, said the Swedish authorities were ready to respond to developments in the vicinity.
“We are in contact with the authorities and our allies regarding developments affecting the security situation,” Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said in an e-mailed comment. REUTERS
