Overview
- Estonia will not detain Russia-linked tankers in the Baltic Sea, with Navy Commander Ivo Vark saying the chance of a military clash is too high.
- The posture follows a May 2025 attempt to stop an unflagged tanker, after which a Russian fighter entered NATO airspace and escorted the ship to Russian waters.
- Estonia reports a stronger Russian naval presence along Baltic oil routes, including a standing patrol of two to three armed vessels in the Gulf of Finland.
- Tankers idling at Vaindloo Anchorage in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone have jumped to about 30–40 as recent Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted loading at Russian ports.
- Elsewhere in Europe, authorities have moved more aggressively, with France starting interceptions in September 2025 and the U.K. recently authorizing boardings in its waters, while the Kremlin asserts free passage and readiness to respond.