Kremlin warns Russia will use navy to protect its merchant shipping

The Kremlin warned on Tuesday that Russia would use its navy to protect its merchant vessels in the face of action by Western nations to interdict Russian tankers and other ships.

Nikolai Patrushev, the Kremlin official tasked with shipping, referred to "piracy-like attacks" by Western countries on Russian sea trade in comments made to Moscow's Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

"We believe that, as at all times, the best guarantor of navigation safety is the navy," Patrushev said. Russia had to be able to ship oil, grain and fertilizer to keep its economy operating, he said.

The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia's fleet of shadow tankers following the invasion of Ukraine with the aim of restricting oil exports. Sanctions have also been imposed on other shipping.

Patrushev said attacks on Russian merchant vessels indicated that Western opponents had decided to strike one of the most important sectors of the Russian economy.

"If we do not resist decisively, the English, the French and even the Balts will soon be so bold as to try to block access to the seas for our country, at least in the Atlantic Basin," he warned.

Russia needed more ships able to operate autonomously far from their home bases, he said.

The detention of the Marinera, an oil tanker sailing under the Russian flag, by US forces in the North Atlantic in January provoked strong criticism in Moscow.

At the end of January, French authorities also stopped and checked a tanker coming from Russia in the Mediterranean. President Emmanuel Macron said the ship was suspected of sailing under a false flag and that it was subject to international sanctions.