Foreign minister warns of environmental catastrophe in Baltic Sea as he accuses Moscow of using unseaworthy vessels

Foreign minister warns of environmental catastrophe in Baltic Sea as he accuses Moscow of using unseaworthy vessels

Russia appears prepared to create “environmental havoc” by sailing unseaworthy oil tankers through the Baltic Sea in breach of all maritime rules, the Swedish foreign minister has said.

Speaking to the Guardian during his first visit to London since Sweden became a Nato member, Tobias Billström called for new rules and enforcement mechanisms to prevent the ageing and uninsured Russian shadow fleet causing an environmental catastrophe. About half of all Russian oil transported by sea passes through the Baltic Sea and Danish waters, often operating under opaque ownership, and using international waters to try to avoid scrutiny.

The fleet generates a huge amount of revenue for Russia’s war machine, bypassing western sanctions that try to block access to insurance if Russia sells the oil above $60 a barrel. In practice as little as 20% of Russian oil is sold below the price cap.

  • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    612·
    7 months ago

    I appreciate that you’re saying what you think is right, and if we didn’t live in the nuclear age, you might be. But Russia could mass murder a significant proportion of the world with the nuclear arsenal they alone have. Even considering old and failing bombs, they still have more than enough. 2 sub megaton bombs was all it took to kill almost 200 thousand people between Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What can be done with the arsenal that exists is considerably larger than that.

    Or are you saying that you trust Russia not to use their nuclear arsenal? Do you trust America not to use its nuclear arsenal?

    Do we need to do a community re-watch of threads? Why is it that you are seemingly unconcerned about a broader conflict between 2 nations with vast nuclear reserves, both of which are in constant political turmoil and one of which is actively a dictatorship?

    World War is not what this planet needs right now, and any considerations for how to approach this conflict must continue with a shared goal of no nuclear Armageddon and no global warfare.

    • SlopppyEngineer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      201·
      7 months ago

      It’s already a hybrid world war and Russia will salami slice until Putin has a new palace in Washington.

      Denmark can just confiscate the vessels and just go “oops, pirates that far north, who could’ve known” and act all innocent. That’s the kind of war we’re in right now.

      • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        36·
        7 months ago

        I was moreso responding to the other commenter saying “so what if we start a larger conflict”. I’m not saying to do nothing, but that preventing a nuclear world war has to be a serious consideration in any actions taken by anyone.

    • Valmond@lemmy.worldEnglish
      121·
      7 months ago

      Russia has nothing to win using nuclear weapons, and all to lose.

      Check out “MAD” doctrine.

      Russia sabre rattling is working though, which will make people like you let them do atrocities all day long, which IMO is immoral.

      • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        17·
        7 months ago

        I’m aware of what mutually assured destruction is.

        Putin alone controls whether they would use them. No one else. Do you trust in him to value human life?

        • Valmond@lemmy.worldEnglish
          81·
          7 months ago

          This is just a scaremongering lie lol.

          “Putin will anihilate humanity if you don’t clean the dishes!!1!” Now will you do it?!!

          You should check out “command structure” I guess, if you are not just trolling.

          • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
            12·
            7 months ago

            I’m not a troll, I just have extremely little faith in dictators to abide by rules they are 100% capable of overruling. There are 3 chegets, which were once physical briefcases but now might not be. The president of Russia has one, the minister of defense, and the chief of the General staff. It is not publicly available information whether or not a majority of the chegets need to be activated in order to activate the strategic nuclear forces system. It is assumed this is the case.

            The minister of defense is probably Putin’s closest confidant and extremely unlikely to defy him. He has stated the use of nuclear weapons is limited to “extraordinary circumstances”. But I think that outright war with America would probably bring along plenty of “extraordinary circumstances”. The chief of the general staff is also a very close person to Putin and does not seem to have made many public comments on the use of nuclear weapons.

            I do not have faith in those 3 men to act in the best interests of humanity.