Russia Adds Military Escorts to Oil Tanker Fleet in Gulf of Finland

Russian military vessels are escorting oil tankers traversing the Gulf of Finland, Finland’s defense minister told media this weekend, saying this was “a completely new development.” The news follows an attempt last week by the Estonian navy to stop a tanker carrying Russian oil, which prompted the appearance of a Russian fighter jet.

Due to European sanctions and the G7 price cap, Russia is using what the media likes to call a shadow fleet of tankers, often aging, and insured by parties outside the Western world. These vessels…