Estonia has chosen not to intercept vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea, with the country's naval commander Ivo Vark warning that the risk of military escalation is simply too high. The decision follows an incident in May last year when Russia flew a combat aircraft into NATO airspace after Estonia attempted to stop an oil tanker, and Vark notes that Russia has since increased its military presence in the Gulf of Finland with two to three warships permanently stationed there. Estonia says it would only consider intervention in cases of imminent danger, such as threats to underwater infrastructure or oil spills, highlighting how the proximity of Russian forces makes the Baltic a far more volatile environment than the Atlantic or North Sea.

Based on: NOS Nieuws