21
Jan
2025
Watch
Need to detect and to counter sabotage by the Russian shadow fleet, damaging critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea (debate)
Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. In mid-December, one ship belonging to the Russian shadow fleet was broken off in the middle, and another went aground in the Black Sea. 3,000 tons of oil spilled into the sea. We now know that the Russian shadow fleet has destroyed underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. We must also be aware that at any time an oil disaster similar to the one in the Black Sea can also happen in the Baltic Sea. The situation in our beloved inland sea is catastrophic already as it is now. We have overfishing, eutrophication, acidification, environmental toxins, plastic pollution. The last thing we need is an oil spill. Around 25 vessels from the Russian shadow fleet now operate in the Baltic Sea. Ships are often old, scrap-ready, they lack insurance. In other words, they are ticking environmental bombs. Environmental disasters can strike at any time. If we put a stop to Putin's ships on the Baltic Sea, we will also cut off the financing of the war in Ukraine. The EU must put an end to the shadow fleet immediately for the sake of peace, but also for the sake of our beloved inland sea.