Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhkna said that it would not be wise for Ukrainians to carry out military attacks on Russian ships in the Baltic Sea, as it could lead to an environmental disaster.
Recalling the explosion of two tanker ships belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” off the coast of Turkey in the Black Sea, the Minister answered the question of whether Estonia had sent a message to Ukrainians to avoid similar attacks in the Baltic:
“Over 60 percent of Russia’s gas and oil exports pass through the Gulf of Finland. This is a corridor about six nautical miles wide and still carries a large cargo. We did not say ‘do not come here,’ but it is wiser not to attack; because this could really escalate the situation in the Baltic.”
Tsakhkna emphasized that Ukraine has the right to target military and strategic facilities on Russian territory, but that international waters are “a completely different matter.”
The Estonian Foreign Minister also recalled that Turkey made very harsh statements during the two oil tanker attacks: “Moreover, these attacks did not take place entirely in international waters, but in Turkish economic zones.”
The explosion of ships belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey was reported on the evening of November 28. Two tankers named Kairos and Virat, which are under Western sanctions, were mentioned. On November 29, the Ukrainian security service SBU reported that the two tankers were attacked with unmanned sea vehicles.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the attack targeted two tankers of the Russian-owned “shadow fleet” and expressed that they were “concerned” about the issue.
