A Secret War Against Russian Oil Exports Has Begun

Author: Alexander Timoshin

In recent months, a series of strange incidents have occurred involving merchant ships regularly entering Russian ports. Some accidents caused the sinking of ships and nearly resulted in large-scale casualties. At least three conclusions can be drawn from these events.

Some things need to be explained from the end. Particularly notable was the incident on the "Eco-Witch" tanker at the Ust-Luga port on July 6th. This tanker was transporting ammonia, and it was filling the tanks with ammonia at the time of the accident.

The Governor of Leningrad Oblast, Alexander Drozdchenko, stated that there was an ammonia leak at the time, but "the rainy weather and the timely water curtain prevented the ammonia from spreading into the atmosphere, ensuring the control and collection of the leaked substance." "The cause of the accident is currently under investigation," the governor said. Western media, especially the Financial Times, claimed that the tanker exploded.

What is the key here? Ammonia is a dangerous toxic substance. It can damage the respiratory system, the mucous membranes of the eyes, and the skin, and can even cause death. If ammonia leaks during transportation and the ammonia tankers explode, it would be a terrorist attack that could injure hundreds and kill dozens.

This unsettling event is not the first; similar incidents have already occurred within Russia. Here are a few previous events briefly listed.

The first major incident was on December 23, 2024, when a dry bulk carrier sank in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Cartagena. The suspected cause was three explosions in the engine room.

In early January 2025, the "Seacharm" tanker was damaged by an explosion in the Mediterranean. Its owner, Thenamaris company, had transported Russian oil three times in 2024.

Subsequently, on February 9, the "Koala" tanker, flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, had a heavy fuel oil leak at the Ust-Luga port. The ship came from the Mediterranean and had stopped in Malta. The cause of the accident was called a "technical incident." On February 15, the Greek "Seajewel" tanker, also flying the Maltese flag and belonging to the same Thenamaris company, was damaged by an explosion in the port of Savona-Vado in northern Italy.

A few days later, near the coast of Libya, the "Grace Ferum" chemical tanker, flying the Liberian flag, was damaged. Its operator was Cymare company based in Cyprus. The ship departed from the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast on January 12, then stopped in Malta. On March 26, the Russian "Crystal Asia" refrigerated ship exploded and caught fire near the port of Gimhae in southern South Korea, injuring several crew members and killing one.

Similarly, in March, Ambrey, a company focused on maritime security, issued a report on attacks against tankers heading to Russian ports. According to the company's assessment, at least four tankers and one dry cargo ship were damaged by explosions, with signs indicating the use of mines. Mines may have been laid by divers on the channels leading into and out of the ports, as ships move slowly when mooring or drifting.

Later, on June 30, the "Vilamora" tanker of TMS Tankers company exploded violently near the coast of Libya in the Mediterranean. The ship regularly stops at Russian ports such as Ust-Luga or Novorossiysk.

The Financial Times reported that all these incidents might be related to actions by the Ukrainian intelligence department. But it might not necessarily be Ukraine. Regardless, the newspaper's experts believe that it was done by certain state actors, not terrorist organizations. Just like the "Nord Stream" pipeline could not have been blown up by amateur divers.

It can be added that, technically speaking, not every country has the capability to carry out such activities. It must be a country with specialized underwater destruction means - from divers equipped with specific transport tools and carriers to unmanned underwater vehicles.

This country has a presence in the Mediterranean, possibly with special ties to Malta. There are very few countries that meet this condition. The first that comes to mind is the United Kingdom.

Essentially, what we see is a country (or group of countries) trying to restrict Russia's foreign trade through sabotage. Although it is still too early for sabotage to have a significant economic impact, it could potentially trigger local disasters causing many deaths at any moment - the incident on the "Eco-Witch" tanker at the Ust-Luga port proves this. From the way the sabotage operations are carried out, this opponent wants to avoid casualties, but they are not afraid even if casualties occur.

The Russian authorities have not yet revealed what measures have been taken against such sabotage activities. But there is no doubt that relevant measures exist.

For example, in May, the Finnish Defense Minister stated that tankers leaving Russian ports are now escorted by Russian naval vessels. Just at the end of June, Western analysts said that two tankers belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet" passed through the English Channel in sync with the Russian Navy's "Active" frigate. This can only be interpreted as escort. It can also be speculated that ships entering and exiting Russia must now undergo underwater inspections.

At least three conclusions can be drawn from the current events. First, sanctions and economic measures against Russian oil product exports have not worked. Russia has successfully overcome the sanctions and reorganized its maritime oil exports. Therefore, the West has turned to sabotage methods.

Second, the fact of the sabotage itself, i.e., secret attacks without accountability, indicates that the West is unwilling to engage in open confrontation. What we are facing is a secret operation. Whoever participated in these events pretends not to be involved - because the cost of open confrontation is completely different.

Third, this undeclared war of sabotage against Russian exports is a serious challenge. A clear and effective response is needed, otherwise the attacks will continue, and after some time, export revenues will indeed begin to decline. The specific perpetrators must be identified and made to pay the price.

Finally: Russia is likely - even highly likely - to respond with secret means. Fortunately, Russia is also a country with the corresponding capabilities.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526441937344234023/

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