Both NATO and Russia deployed fighter jets in an intense aerial confrontation above the Baltic Sea following a significant standoff involving a tanker in Vladimir Putin’s unofficial fleet.
Estonian forces sought to board the ‘Gabon-flagged’ oil tanker Jaguar using a patrol vessel and helicopter, as well as a surveillance watercraft.
The Russian-bound ship is suspected of being used by Moscow as part of its shadow fleet to avoid international sanctions.
It was sanctioned by Britain on Friday.
NATO aircraft – including Polish MiG-29s – were scrambled as the vessel refused to cooperate.
Russia also deployed a Su-35S fighter jet which allegedly violated Estonian airspace as it sought to provide cover for the fleeing Jaguar.
Video footage captured the moment a Polish NATO aircraft trailed a Russian Su-35 fighter jet during a skirmish over the Gulf of Finland, located within the Baltic Sea region.
A Russian voice on the bridge of the tanker accused the Estonians of being ‘clowns’ as they tried and failed to board the vessel.
A Russian Su-35 fighter jet, followed by a Polish Air Force MiG-29 pictured over the Jaguar oil tanker
An Estonian war ship attempts to divert the Jaguar oil tanker en route to the Russian port of Primorsk in a failed interception attempt
The tanker ultimately anchored near Gotland Island – controlled by Russia – in the eastern Baltic Sea.
Footage shows the high drama in one of the most tense regions in the world amid disputes between Russia and NATO over Ukraine.
‘This is how we’re greeted with helicopters,’ said a voice -apparently Russian – on the tanker.
‘They’re demanding we anchor.’
A message is heard saying: ‘This is Estonian warship Papa 6732.
‘Your request will be denied.
‘Follow my instructions. Immediately change course to 105. Over.’
A voice from the tanker in Hindi says: ‘That looks like our drone in front….’
Estonian forces sought to board the ‘Gabon-flagged’ oil tanker Jaguar using a patrol vessel and helicopter, as well as a surveillance vessel
In dramatic footage, the Polish – NATO – plane was seen tailing the Russian Su-35 in a combat over the Gulf of Finland
The Estonian vessel comes close to the tanker seeking to swerve it to the right
A Russian voice demands: ‘Go on, hit it running….’
Referring to the Estonians, he says: ‘What a bunch of clowns!’
The Estonian vessel comes close to the tanker seeking to swerve it to the right.
An Estonian A139 helicopter and an M-28 Skytruck plane of the Estonian defence forces were then seen circling the vessel.
Lauding their achievement against Western powers, the pro-Kremlin media outlet Izvestia claimed: ‘Despite the display of military strength, Estonian authorities were unsuccessful in halting the vessel.
‘The Jaguar ultimately reached Gogland Island …. a Russian-controlled territory in the Gulf [of Finland], and resumed its route to Primorsk’.
Russian outlet News-Pravda reported, ‘Sailors from the Baltic Republic [Estonia] twice tried to land troops from a helicopter.’
After the extraordinary clash, NATO state Estonia summoned the Russian Chargé d’Affaires in Tallinn, Lenar Salimullin, who was handed a note of protest, accusing the Putin warplane of violating the republic’s airspace.
The tanker had been near Naissaar Island, off Tallinn, when the Estonian Navy communicated with it by radio at 1530 GMT on Tuesday
‘From Estonia’s point of view, this is a very serious and regrettable incident that is in no way unacceptable,’ said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
He demanded that Russia ‘must face tougher, faster sanctions’ .
The tanker had been near Naissaar Island, off Tallinn, when the Estonian Navy communicated with it by radio at 1530 GMT on Tuesday, said Commander Ivo Vark.
It was sailing ‘without a nationality’ and Estonia ‘had an obligation to verify the vessel’s documents and legal status’, he said.
‘The vessel denied cooperation and continued its journey toward Russia… given the vessel’s lack of nationality, the use of force, including boarding the vessel, was deemed unnecessary.’
Estonia escorted it until the vessel reached Russian waters.
Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the ship was sent from Estonian to Russian territorial waters to prevent a threat to his country’s critical infrastructure.
‘The issue was the ship’s flag state, and our most important goal was to ensure the security of critical infrastructure. This was achieved,’ he claimed.
The 800-ft long Jaguar is a crude oil tanker reportedly sailing under the flag of Gabon.
The Equasis database suggested the ship changed its name and flag state at the beginning of February.
According to this data its name is now Argent and its flag state is Guinea-Bissau.
Putin uses a vast network of non-Russian tankers – called a shadow fleet – to avoid oil sanctions.
The dogfight over the Baltic Sea today come a day after satellite images emerged showing a build up of Russian forces just miles from the Finnish border, with evidence that Moscow has been establishing troop accommodation, aircraft infrastructure and other new facilities at key military bases.
Signs that Moscow is sending weapons and troops to the area come following claims, including from Finland’s Prime Minister and German intelligence, that Vladimir Putin is gearing up for a lengthy conflict with the West.
A Finnish government report cited in news outlet Iltalehti in December states that Helsinki considers an attack on Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states to be a possibility.
‘Russia is strengthening its military presence and activities in its northwestern direction in all operational environments as quickly as possible,’ the report warns.
NATO sources who spoke to the newspaper reportedly said that Moscow has been rehearsing an attack on the bloc’s eastern flank and outlined a threat assessment of where could be targeted.
A coordinated attack involving a number of Russian units could simultaneously strike the Norwegian coast, Finland’s south and Lapland region, the Swedish island of Gotland and even break into Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the sources are quoted as saying.
But experts have suggested that Putin is more likely to opt for small-scale attacks, designed to cause chaos within NATO as it would be forced to grapple over whether to honour its mutual defence pact or allow Russia to take territory to avoid a full-scale European war.
It also comes as Putin sent aides and deputy ministers to hold peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey today,
