Estonian navy intercepts tanker tied to Russian 'shadow fleet'
The Estonian Navy detained the tanker Kivala in its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea. The tanker was sailing without a flag, likely as part of the Russian "shadow fleet."
On Friday morning, the Estonian Navy conducted an operation to detain the tanker Kivala in the Baltic Sea. Commander Ivo Värk reported that the aim of the detention was to check the documents and legal status of the vessel. The operation, he emphasized, is not related to damage to critical infrastructure.
Increasing number of ships without documents
Veiko Kommusaar, head of the Estonian border guard, noted that over the past year, many ships without documentation have appeared in the Baltic Sea. "It can be said with certainty that they are part of the Russian 'shadow fleet,'" Kommusaar added.
The operation to detain the tanker Kivala, which was traveling from the port of Sikka in India to the port of Ust-Luga in Russia, began on Thursday evening. The ship was detained in the morning when it entered Estonian territorial waters. Currently, the vessel is anchored in Muuga Bay, and there are two warships nearby.
Ssanctions and lack of flag
The tanker Kivala was under sanctions due to previous illegal activities. The vessel did not have a flag, a violation of international regulations. The Estonian authorities exercised their right to detain the ship for inspection.
During the detention, the technical condition, insurance, and crew documents were checked. A helicopter also participated in the operation. There are 24 crew members on board, including a captain from China who is cooperating with Estonian authorities. The other crew members are likely citizens of Myanmar.
According to the Ukrainian portal WarSanctions, Kivala is part of the Russian "shadow fleet," engaged in exporting Russian oil to third countries. The ship's owners and operators frequently change to conceal connections to Russia.
