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Estonia will not detain Russian vessels in Baltic Sea due to risk of escalation

Authorities would only consider intervention in case of damage to infrastructure or an oil spill, Navy Commander Ivo Vark says

© Igor Onuchin/TASS

LONDON, April 11. /TASS/. Estonia will not detain Russian vessels in the Baltic Sea due to fears of a military response from Moscow, Estonia’s Navy Commander Ivo Vark told Reuters.

"The risk of military escalation is just too high," Vark told the agency when asked about the intentions to seize oil tankers and other vessels believed to belong to Russia’s "shadow fleet." Estonia would only consider intervention in the event of damage to infrastructure or an oil spill, he added.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the implementation of sanctions against Russian shipping companies and the designation of vessels transporting Russian hydrocarbons as Moscow’s "shadow fleet" violates international law.

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