Nikolaj Patrusjev, who is part of Vladimir Putin's inner circle and has been given special responsibility for maritime issues during the war years, accuses Western countries and NATO of effectively engaging in piracy. He points to the fact that Estonia recently tried to stop a sanctioned ship in the Gulf of Finland.
The measures are intended to primarily increase security around Russia's important ports around St. Petersburg and in the exclave of Kaliningrad, it is stated.
The proposed measures received support from Russia's president, Nikolaj Patrusjev is quoted as saying by the propaganda news agency Tass.
Flag of convenience
The EU and others have imposed sanctions on several hundred ships that are part of Russia's unofficial so-called shadow fleet, where thousands of ships of varying seaworthiness and with foreign flags sail to and from Russia with sanctioned cargo.
In Finland, it has been noted in recent times that Russia's fleet has been more active in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland.
Russia has begun to protect its own sea transport, particularly its shadow fleet, and has increased its military presence here, said Marko Laaksonen, commander of the Finnish Navy, to MTV recently.
Laaksonen emphasized that it does not in itself pose a greater threat to Finland, but that it contributes to the tensions in the area.
"Entirely new element"
Russia has always had a military presence in the area, but the Russian military actively protecting cargo ships is new, says Finland's Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen to Yle:
There has been military escort activity, with the presence of armed forces. It's an entirely new element.
