Putin warned the EU against seizing Russian commercial vessels, calling such
actions 'piracy' and threatening reciprocal measures. Speaking during Pacific
Fleet exercises in Russia's Far East, he said Russia would respond in kind and
that any response could take place 'anywhere we deem necessary and appropriate',
not necessarily in the same waters. The remarks follow an EU mechanism approved
last month — part of a new sanctions package — that allows member states to sell
oil and other goods recovered from sanctioned ships at sea. Since end-2024,
European states and the UK have boarded, seized or confiscated multiple vessels
linked to Russia or the so‑called 'shadow fleet'.
