Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov told Russian media on the 13th that Russia will “decide for itself” which Western ships to seize as a countermeasure against Western countries seizing Russian ships. Lavrov said that Western countries treat “acts of banditry and piracy” as their official policy, Russia will independently choose seizure targets from ships serving the interests of Western countries, and “it will be Russia's own decision” as to how to deal with it. Western countries accuse Russia of using commercial vessels such as oil tankers to evade Western sanctions, calling these commercial vessels a “shadow fleet.” Many European countries have recently intercepted a number of so-called Russian “shadow fleet” ships in relevant waters. Lavrov said that all ships that do not comply with EU requirements, no matter what kind of flag they fly, are designated as “shadow fleets” by the EU. The EU's “illegal decision” is intended to curb Russia's profits in the global market. This practice is “extremely dangerous.”

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov told Russian media on the 13th that Russia will “decide for itself” which Western ships to seize as a countermeasure against Western countries seizing Russian ships. Lavrov said that Western countries treat “acts of banditry and piracy” as their official policy, Russia will independently choose seizure targets from ships serving the interests of Western countries, and “it will be Russia's own decision” as to how to deal with it. Western countries accuse Russia of using commercial vessels such as oil tankers to evade Western sanctions, calling these commercial vessels a “shadow fleet.” Many European countries have recently intercepted a number of so-called Russian “shadow fleet” ships in relevant waters. Lavrov said that all ships that do not comply with EU requirements, no matter what kind of flag they fly, are designated as “shadow fleets” by the EU. The EU's “illegal decision” is intended to curb Russia's profits in the global market. This practice is “extremely dangerous.”