German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock criticized Russia’s use of outdated vessels to transport oil to circumvent international sanctions. Her comments came after the tanker “Eventin”, loaded with almost 100,000 tons of oil, lost control near the German island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea. About this informs DW.
Burbok called the Russian “shadow fleet” a serious threat to European security, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of “cynical use of rusty and dangerous ships.” According to her, such tankers not only allow to circumvent sanctions, but also pose a risk to ecology and tourism in the Baltic region.
The day before, the Central Emergency Command of Germany reported that the tanker “Eventin”, which was on its way from the Russian port of Ust-Luga, lost control due to a technical malfunction. Three tugboats were sent to him. No oil leaked into the sea, no threat to the environment was detected, and there was no need to evacuate the crew.
The tanker “Eventin” sails under the Panamanian flag, however, according to Greenpeace, it belongs to the Russian “shadow fleet”. This fleet consists of hundreds of vessels registered in small countries but effectively controlled by Moscow. It is used to transport oil to bypass the embargo imposed by the West due to the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
