FOCUS ⟩ The Russian shadow fleet’s party in the Baltic Sea continues; fear of escalation prevents the closure of the Danish Straits

2026-01-27 - 16:13

Russia’s shadow fleet continues operating calmly in the Baltic Sea despite Western sanctions, while coastal states limit themselves to monitoring and escort, and interventions have mostly taken place only in cases of direct damage to subsea infrastructure. What lies behind this passivity is not the inability of Baltic Sea states, but a deliberate fear of escalation. The price of this passivity, however, has been a growing security and environmental risk, write editor Meelis Oidsalu and journalist Margus Hanno Murakas.