President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would retaliate in kind if European countries carried out plans to seize Russian commercial vessels, describing the proposed measures as “piracy and robbery.”
“We see the authorities of certain countries attempting, in violation of international maritime law, to restrict the movement of vessels operated by our businesses,” Putin said during a meeting with Pacific Fleet personnel aboard the missile cruiser Varyag on Wednesday.
“And recently, they went so far as to consider seizing our vessels and selling the property they have plundered from us. This is, of course, nothing other than piracy and robbery.”
The warning follows the European Union’s adoption in July of a mechanism allowing member states to confiscate and sell Russian oil carried aboard shadow fleet vessels attempting to evade the bloc’s sanctions. The measure, introduced as part of the EU’s 21st sanctions package, also covers grain cargoes.
Putin said Russia would take similar action if European countries put the measures into practice, adding that Moscow’s response would not necessarily be confined to the same waters where Russian ships were seized.
