Russian AL Threatens to Break Through the Western Sea Blockade

JAKARTA - The Russian Navy (AL) will thwart any Western attempt to impose a naval blockade on its country.

The head of the Maritime Council, Nikolay Patrushev, who is also an advisor to President Vladimir Putin, called the detention of Russian tankers by Western countries an act of "piracy."

He referred to the interception of the tanker Grinch by the French Navy in the Mediterranean on January 22 and Ukraine's attack on a Russian tanker with a naval drone.

He also alluded to talks between Britain and a number of European countries regarding the possibility of systematic detention of ships suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" to avoid sanctions. More than 600 ships have been sanctioned by the European Union, Britain, and the United States.

According to Patrushev, these measures show the West's efforts to suppress Russia's foreign trade sector.

"If we do not give a firm response, then Britain, France, even the Baltic countries will be more daring to try to block our country's access to the sea, at least in the Atlantic region," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 18.

Russia, he said, is preparing a response through international political, diplomatic, and legal mechanisms. However, if necessary, the blockade will be broken by its navy.

Patrushev stressed the importance of the presence of significant Russian naval forces on major shipping lanes, including in remote areas, to protect oil, wheat, and fertilizer exports.

He admitted that the Russian Navy is currently carrying out trade protection duties with high pressure and needs more ships for offshore and ocean operations. This need will be included in the ship development program until 2050.

Regarding the Baltic Sea, Patrushev assessed that NATO was forming an offensive-oriented multinational grouping. According to him, the sea is again an arena of confrontation, even though the West's dominance in the ocean is no longer as it was before.