UK daily: More evidence links Russian shadow fleet ship earlier stopped by Estonia to drone 'mayhem'
More evidence has emerged showing that a Russian shadow-fleet ship, seized by France and previously detained by Estonia, was used in hybrid war-style drone attacks on Denmark and Germany, UK daily The Telegraph reported.
The vessel, the tanker Boracay, is suspected to be linked to the Copenhagen drone incident, which represents the first known example of Russia's "shadow fleet" causing disruption by launching drones, leading to nine drone attacks on European airports and other infrastructure.
French authorities have been investigating the Boracay for potential sanctions violations since Tuesday. The Boracay's previous name had been the Kiwala, which was the name it bore when apprehended by Estonian authorities in the Gulf of Finland in April this year.
The 18-year-old tanker, which left Russia on September 20, and tracking data shows, passed through the Baltic at a time of mysterious drone swarms near key infrastructure in Denmark and Germany, both NATO states.
Additionally, the use of aging, uninsured vessels with unclear ownership has raised concerns about environmental risks.
The Telegraph reported that experts speculate the Boracay launched drones that disrupted infrastructure, with tracking data placing it near Copenhagen on September 22, when drone activity shut down the airport, before sailing south along Denmark's western coast, where four airports were closed between September 23-25, and on September 25, drones were spotted near key infrastructure in Kiel, Germany.
The Boracay, built in 2007 and renamed multiple times, is registered to Baaj Shipping in Seychelles and has fraudulently flown flags from Benin, Gambia, and Malawi.
French authorities had been investigating the Boracay, under U.K. and EU sanctions for its links to Russian crude oil transportation, after the crew failed to show the ship's flag and ignored orders. The tanker is currently anchored off the Atlantic coast of western France, near Saint Nazaire. The Boracay was detained by Estonian authorities on April 11, when it was known as the Kiwala, sending it on its way late in that month after over 40 deficiencies on the ship, including issues with safety equipment and radio equipment, had been addressed.
The Russian shadow fleet is better known for funding Putin's war machine by shipping oil, in breach of Western sanctions.
Russia's shadow fleet evades Western sanctions on oil and gas, selling cargoes to China and India. The money earned helps fund its continued invasion of Ukraine. Since Russia is famous for "lacking" warm water ports, the terminals at Ust-Luga and Primorsk, both near St. Petersburg, are the primary through routes for crude embarking on the long journey to Asia. This means the vessels must sail through a narrow corridor along the Gulf of Finland, into the rest of the Baltic and beyond. Last month's Ukrainian strike on Primorsk led to a log-jam of shadow fleet ships in the Gulf of Finland, as well as costing Russia tens of millions a day.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
Source: Telegraph
