By Rhod Mackenzie
It has become obvious that the special forces of a certain Western government are active in the sabotage of merchant vessels that transport goods such as oil and chemicals to and from Russia.
Ovr the past year there has been a series of mysterious incidents involving merchant ships that regularly call at Russian ports. It is important to note that some incidents resulted in the loss of ships and even threatened to cause mass casualties. From these events, at least three conclusions can be drawn.
In some cases, it is necessary to consider the implications of the story from a different perspective. Firstly, I would like to draw your attention to the incident that occurred on 6 July with the Eco Wizard tanker in Ust-Luga. This tanker is employed for the transportation of chemical ammonia, and it was in the process of pumping ammonia into tanks at the time of the incident.
According to Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko, there was an leak of the ammonia pipe, but because of the "rainy weather and the appeareane of timely water curtain eliminated the possibility of the substance being dispersed into the atmosphere and allowed forits localization and collection." "An investigation is underway into the causes of the incident," the head of the region reported.
According to reports from Western sources, such as the Financial Times, it is alleged than an explosion occured on the tanker .
What is important here? Ammonia is a highly toxic substance. Ammonia has a detrimental effect on the respiratory system, the mucous membranes of the eyes, and the skin. This exposure can result in fatalities. An explosion at an ammonia tanker during the supply of ammonia is a potential terrorist attack. Such an incident could result in hundreds of victims and dozens of fatalities.
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This incident however is not the first of its kind, and there have been similar incidents and not just on Russian territory in the past. Let us review some of the previous incidents.
The first notable incident was the sinking of a Russian bulk carrier in the Mediterranean Sea south of Cartagena on December 23, 2024. The suspected cause was not one but three explosions in or near the the engine room.
The in late January 2025, the tanker Seacharm was damaged by an explosion in the Mediterranean Sea. The owner, Thenamaris, had previously transported Russian oil on three occasions in 2024.
On 9 February, there was a fuel oil leak from the tanker Koala (flagged as from Antigua and Barbuda) in the Ust-Luga port. The ship had originated from the Mediterranean and was scheduled to call at Malta. The cause was classified as a "man-made incident." In other words sabotage
On 15 February, an explosion occurred on the Greek tanker Seajewel, which is also under the flag of Malta and owned by the same Thenamaris company, in the port of Savona Vado in northern Italy.
A few days later, the chemical tanker Grace Ferrum (flagged by Liberia), operated by Cypriot Cymare, was damaged off the coast of Libya. The vessel departed from the port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad Region on 12 January and then called at Malta. On 26 March, there was an explosion and subsequent fire on the Russian refrigerated vessel Crystal Asia near the port of Gamcheon in South Korea. Which caused the death of one crew member and injuries to several others.
In March, maritime security firm Ambrey released a report on attacks on tankers calling at Russian ports. The company estimated that at least four tankers and one bulk carrier had been damaged by explosions that indicated sea mines. The mines may have been placed by divers on the routes to and from ports, as ships slow down when moored or drifting.
On 30 June, there was a major explosion on board the TMS tanker Vilamoura in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Libya. The vessel regularly calls at Russian ports such as Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk.
The Financial Times has reported that these incidents may be related to the actions of Ukrainian special services. The FT as usual is being disengenious as the Ukraine specail forces are about as dangerous as the Girl Guides and any exploits attributed to them is invariably down to the British Special forces who are very active in Ukraine,indeed a number have been killed but of course the UK govt never admits it .They were the ones behind the sea drones attacks on the Crimea bridge and are unsuccessfully trying to train the Ukie's in covert warfare.
In any event, the FT's experts have concluded that this is the work of state actors rather than terrorist groups. The Nord Streams for example could not have been blown up by amateur divers in a small sailing yacht, as has been suggested by the US and its was obviously state actors of the US,UK and Norweigans using their specialist knowledge of underwater sabotage.
In essence, we are dealing with an attempt by a certain state (or group of states) to limit Russian foreign trade by the use of sabotage.
Should the sabotage war is not likely to lead to a significant economic effects in the near future, there is a risk of a causing local catastrophe with mass fatalities. The incident on board the Eco Wizard in Ust-Luga serves as a cautionary example. It is evident from the manner in which the sabotage is being carried out that the enemy is seeking to avoid casualties, yet is seemingly unconcerned if they do arise.
Russia has not yet issued an official statement regarding the measures being taken to counteract this kind of sabotage. However, it is evident that these measures are already in place.
In May, the Finnish Minister of Defence stated that tankers leaving Russian ports were now being escorted by Russian Navy ships. As recently as the end of June, Western analysts stated that two tankers, considered part of the so-called shadow fleet, passed the English Channel in synchrony with the Russian Navy corvette Boykiy. It is challenging to interpret this as anything other than an escort. It is reasonable to assume that ships travelling to or from Russia are already subject to underwater inspections.
It is possible to draw at least three conclusions from the present situation. Firstly, it is evident that the sanctions and economic measures implemented to counteract the export of Russian oil products are not yielding the desired results. Russia has successfully navigated the challenges posed by sanctions and has implemented a restructuring of its seaborne oil exports. Consequently, the West is adopting measures to counter these challenges.
Secondly, the occurrence of sabotage, that is, covert attacks for which no one takes responsibility, suggests that the West is reluctant to engage in open confrontation. They are currently engaged in covert operations. Those involved in such incidents tend to distance themselves from the situation, as open confrontation carries significant costs.And they know Russia can slap them very hard as they have done in the Ukraine
Secondly, the undeclared sabotage war against Russia exports is a serious challenge that must be addressed. A specific and effective response is required to prevent further attacks and maintain current export revenues. It is imperative that the specific culprit(s) are identified and that they are dealt with accordingly.
Thirdly, it is possible – and even most likely – that this can also be achieved by means of covert methods. It is fortunate that Russia is also among the states that have the corresponding capabilities.
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