Putin Says Targeting of Russian Civilian Vessels Constitutes ‘State Terrorism’
Vladivostok, The Gulf Observer: Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the seizure and targeting of Russian civilian vessels, describing such actions as “state terrorism” and warning that they could further complicate efforts to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Putin criticized the recent detention of Russian civilian vessels and referred to threats by Ukrainian authorities against passenger aircraft operating in Russian airspace.
“This, of course, is a manifestation of state terrorism,” Putin said, arguing that such actions “undoubtedly complicate the possibility of bilateral peace negotiations.”
The Russian President also warned that countries and actors that remain silent over such incidents could become “accomplices in international terrorism,” in an apparent reference to Ukraine’s Western supporters.
Putin’s remarks came a day after Norwegian authorities detained the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard following a request from Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz. The vessel was detained while docked at the Russian settlement of Barentsburg.
The Professor Molchanov is a Russian state-owned research vessel that provides regular passenger and cargo services between Murmansk and Svalbard. It transports scientists, workers and their families, tourists and supplies to Russian settlements in the archipelago.
Moscow has said it intends to challenge the vessel’s detention through legal channels.
The incident follows a series of seizures by Western authorities involving Russian-linked vessels accused of being part of a so-called “shadow fleet.” However, the Professor Molchanov was detained in connection with a legal claim filed by Naftogaz against Russia rather than under the broader shadow-fleet allegations.
Russia has rejected the “shadow fleet” designation, arguing that it lacks a basis in international law, and has accused Western countries of using sanctions as a pretext to interfere with civilian maritime trade.
Putin last month warned that attempts to seize Russian vessels and their cargo amounted to “piracy and robbery,” saying Moscow was prepared to respond to such actions in any part of the world.
Ukraine has also intensified attacks on civilian shipping amid the ongoing conflict. Putin said earlier this week that approximately 100 Russian merchant vessels had been damaged over a 40-day period, with sailors, including Russian and foreign nationals, reportedly killed in the attacks.
The Russian leader’s latest comments underline Moscow’s growing concern over maritime security and the potential impact of attacks and seizures involving civilian vessels on the broader prospects for negotiations with Ukraine.
