"Boarding for the sake of a piece of paper was risky": the tanker missed by Estonia arrived in Primorsk

The tanker, which the Estonian Navy wanted to detain in the Gulf of Finland, arrived for loading at the port of Primorsk. The Estonian Defense Minister explained that because of the risks, the Navy did not board.

The Jaguar tanker, which the Estonian Navy tried to force to enter the territorial waters of the country in the neutral waters of the Gulf of Finland, safely reached its final destination. According to AIS, on the morning of May 15, the vessel approached the oil terminal of the port of Primorsk.

The day before, a video from the tanker got online, as the Estonian authorities are trying to force the ship to change course and enter the territorial waters of the country. Specialized military telegram channels reported that the AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter, the M28 Skytruck aircraft and the EML Raju patrol boat participated in the operation. By radio, the tanker was obliged to change course. However, the appearance of the Russian Su-35 fighter confused all plans. Despite the fact that the tanker itself was not going to obey. According to AIS vessels, Jaguar passed the Gulf of Finland at a stable speed of 13-14 knots.

"We had a question about the ship's flag, and the most important task was to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure. We have completed this task. Taking into account the principle of proportionality, we — together with the Police and Border Guard Department, the Transport Department and The Naval Forces have come to the conclusion that in this case boarding a ship for the sake of checking one document is not a proportionate measure," Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said in an interview with the Actual Camera (ETV).

The Minister of Internal Affairs of the country Igor Taro in the program "First Studio" (Esimene stuudio) said that Estonia needs to build up its potential.

"There are not enough opportunities to capture vessels both from the water and from the air. All these elements are quite expensive, and this threat has appeared recently. And these investments are large and require long—term planning," the minister said.

According to him, the possibility of seizing tankers that carry Russian oil depends on the circumstances.

"It depends on what they are doing and how, and what exactly is happening there, because in fact we have the opportunity to turn to our friends in Finland. Just yesterday I paid a visit to the Finnish Minister of the Interior, and we briefly discussed this topic. We always have the opportunity to rely on the help of Finnish friends if the situation requires intervention with something more powerful. This time, they probably appreciated that the intervention is not worth the candle," said the head of the Estonian Interior Ministry.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhkna said that the Russian fighter allegedly violated the airspace of Estonia.

"Yesterday, another incident with the Russian shadow fleet in the Gulf of Finland proved that we must act," the Foreign Minister wrote on the social network X.

Prior to that, he said that the Foreign Ministry summoned the charge d'affaires of Russia to protest and hand over a note about the violation of Estonian airspace.

Jaguar tanker is not under sanctions, but it is classified as a shadow fleet when a vessel older than 15 years is carrying sanctioned oil and belongs to unknown owners. According to Equasis, the tanker flies the flag of Guinea-Bissau and belongs to Sapang Shipping, registered in Mauritius. Previously, the vessel was owned by the Indian Gatik, which became one of the largest carriers of Russian oil immediately after the imposition of sanctions — a ban on the import of raw materials to the EU and the introduction of a price ceiling. Only a company registered in Mumbai bought up more than fifty tankers.

The head of the Estonian Defense Ministry said that the Estonian Navy was waiting for the tanker.

"As a result, we have prepared for the fact that when this vessel reaches the Estonian area of responsibility and the vicinity of EstLink (underwater power cable with Finland), we will go to accompany the vessel and try to find out what the situation is. The Navy has fulfilled its task," Pevkur said.

As EADaily reported, some of the countries The EU has created a coalition that is trying to fight Russia's oil revenues by putting pressure on the shadow fleet. However, they can't do anything yet.

The case of Jaguar is not the first for Estonia. Earlier, in April, the Estonian Navy forced the Kiwala tanker to change course, which was detained in its territorial waters. He is under EU sanctions. The Estonian Navy stated that the vessel may not have insurance and registration. By the end of April, all the requirements for the elimination of technical deficiencies had been fulfilled on board the tanker, and the Estonian side could not find any other claims. Therefore, the ship was forced to let go.