Russia has begun escorting shadow fleet tankers in the Baltic with warships

Russia has begun escorting tankers from its so-called shadow fleet with warships in the Gulf of Finland, prompting heightened concern from Finnish authorities. Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen described this unprecedented practice in an interview with Yle on May 25, 2025. He noted that while the presence of Russian military forces in the Baltic region has been commonplace, the active use of warships to escort commercial vessels transporting oil in defiance of Western sanctions marks a troubling new development.

Häkkänen emphasized that this increase in military activity raises alarms in the narrow waters of the Gulf of Finland, where any surge in Russian naval operations is closely monitored. Despite these tensions, he reassured the public that no direct threat to Finland has been identified, although he characterized Russia as a “dangerous neighbor” for Europe.

The Finnish Navy has corroborated reports of increased military traffic in the Gulf of Finland, with sightings of Russian vessels, including frigates and corvettes, occurring more frequently near Finland’s territorial waters. This escalation follows a separate incident on May 23, when two Russian military aircraft violated Finnish airspace near the coastal town of Porvoo. In a swift diplomatic response, Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov for an explanation, while the Border Guard of the Gulf of Finland initiated an investigation.