Russia’s Maritime Board, led by security official Nikolai Patrushev, has proposed measures to protect Russian shipping and strategic maritime routes, citing alleged violations of international maritime law by “unfriendly” states.

The move follows several recent interceptions of Russian oil tankers, including the Fitsburg, Marinera, and Grinch, by Finnish, US, and French authorities.

The proposed measures are expected to include naval deployments to safeguard Russian interests, particularly in the Arctic and key shipping lanes.

Russia increasingly relies on sanctioned “shadow tankers” with opaque ownership, often violating maritime rules and using false identities to evade tracking, the Barents Observer has reported.

Reports show that more than 50 such vessels have operated along the Norwegian coast, the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea, highlighting the scale of the challenge Russia aims to address.