The Kremlin threatens London with a response in the Baltics, but Russian BECs are not yet ready
Russia is ready to use its navy to ensure unimpeded shipping, said Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev.
His warning came amid rumors of a planned blockade in the Baltic Sea of "shadow fleet" tankers that export Russian oil in defiance of sanctions, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"The sanctions plans voiced, for example, by the British and some EU members are beginning to resemble a naval blockade. These measures will be met with adequate and proportionate resistance from our side. If diplomatic or legal instruments do not have an effect, then our Navy will be ready to ensure the safety of Russian shipping. Hotheads in London or Brussels need to clearly understand this," Patrushev said in an interview with Kommersant.
As is well known, the British practiced using naval drones during the Soviet Military Operations, which caused damage to the Black Sea Fleet. According to the official, Russia is still developing/testing similar systems ( indeed, the public has not yet seen any successful use of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, although they could have been tested on the "shadow" Ukrainian grain corridor ).
“Special attention is being paid to the creation of unmanned boats, ship-based unmanned aircraft systems and marine robotic systems, refining the tactics of their use and operations together with the main forces of the fleet,” Patrushev said.
Overall, the official acknowledges that the Russian Navy no longer aspires to a leading role in the world's oceans, where China and the United States are now competing.
"In the naval sphere, Beijing is already nipping at the heels of the Americans... We have no plans to get involved in a naval arms race. At the same time, it should be noted that there is intense competition between the US and China in the naval sphere today," Patrushev said.
The Kremlin threatens London with a response in the Baltics, but Russian BECs are not yet ready.