A Russian warship fired warning shots at a dry cargo ship in the Black Sea on Sunday, after the Russian defence ministry said it intercepted the Palau-flagged “Sukru Okan” ship heading towards Ukraine.

  • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’m not sure Russia wants to start sinking 3rd party shipping in international waters destined for NATO countries.

    Edit:

    Palau-flagged “Sukru Okan” ship

    shipping data showed the ship was heading north towards the coast of Bulgaria

    • cowpowered@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I think at this point Russia can basically do whatever it wants in international waters. NATO isn’t going to go to war with Russia unless it has to. Damaging or even sinking a cargo ship would be another escalation but I’m not sure what possible retaliatory measures remain. All the sanctions are already in place.

      • jantin@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        There are still many economic sanctions that could be imposed and the existing ones can and should be tightened.

        But the issue of threatened ships can be easily solved by assigning NATO escorts. AFAIK Turkiye declared their navy is going to do that (escort cargo ships on the Black sea) but I don’t know how it went

        • cowpowered@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          What economic sanctions are left? Genuine question. I don’t know. But I am under the impression anything that would have any effect is already being done. The west could completely economically cut off Russia, and Russia would just continue exporting to the rest of the world.

        • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          The US has also sent aircraft escorts with several cargo ships in the Black Sea as well.

      • flying_monkies@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Depends on if NATO decides to start escorting ships in international waters and Russia goes full pants-on-head stupid and does something to an escort and that country decides to invoke article 5.

      • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Damaging or even sinking a cargo ship would be another escalation but I’m not sure what possible retaliatory measures remain.

        NATO countries escorting cargo ships. I’m not even talking about US, French, or UK ships. Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey are all NATO countries on the Black Sea. If Russia is interfering with their trade, then those countries Navy vessels can protect trade.