Russian LNG Carrier in Baltic Displays Heavy Machine Guns
The Estonian Police and Border Guard service has released surveillance images showing machine guns and sandbagged firing positions mounted on a Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in the Baltic Sea. The move is seen as a more confrontational stance by Moscow aimed at protecting its civilian fleet and signaling resistance to any Western attempt to board or seize its ships.
The images show fortified machine gun positions on the bridge roof of the Marshal Vasilevskiy, a civilian vessel whose home port is Kaliningrad. According to a spokesperson for the Estonian Police and Border Guard service, the images were taken this spring on the Baltic Sea, within Estonia’s area of responsibility.
Analyst Describes Move as “Crazy New Step”
Armed guards are common on ships transiting piracy hotspots, but Yoruk Isik, a geopolitical analyst who runs the Bosphorus Observer consultancy, described the move as unprecedented for the Baltic Sea. “This is a hostile move by Russia to send a message to European Union and NATO nations that it will actively oppose any attempt to detain or inspect its ships,” Isik told Reuters.
Isik noted that there is no justification for a self-defense posture like a machine gun in the Baltic, adding that this clearly shows that the high seas are becoming increasingly lawless. “There is no justification for a self-defense posture like a machine gun in the Baltic. This clearly shows that the high seas are becoming increasingly lawless,” he added.
Kord Heavy Machine Guns Mounted on Bridge
The photo shows a firing position on board the vessel Marshal Vasilevskiy, showing a Kord heavy machine gun. The images revealed two sandbagged firing positions equipped with military-grade 12.7mm Kord heavy machine guns on either side of the ship’s bridge, the first direct photographic evidence of Russia installing military weapons on a civilian vessel.
According to Estonian journalist Holger Roonemaa, an Estonian border guard surveillance plane photographed the Marshal Vasilevskiy in May as it sailed past Estonia’s western islands and northern coast en route to Russia’s Bolshoi Bor port in the Gulf of Finland. The vessel is owned by sanctioned Gazprom and has itself been sanctioned in several jurisdictions, though not yet by the EU.
50% to Repel Drones, 50% to Send Signal
Asked why the weapons were installed, an unnamed intelligence officer from the Baltic Sea region told Roonemaa: “My assessment: These weapons were put on board with a 50% purpose of repelling a potential Ukrainian sea drone (attack), and 50% for signaling to Western countries.” According to the source, the Kord machine guns would not be effective against aerial drone attacks Ukraine has frequently launched against Russia’s Baltic Sea ports this year, but could offer some protection against naval drones.
Analysts Describe Intentions
Speaking to Roonemaa, Danish naval commander and independent defense analyst Jens Wenzel Kristoffersen said the weapons were intended as a deterrent message. “It’s specifically aimed at authorities who might consider boarding this ship,” Kristoffersen said, adding, “if NATO forces were to approach this ship, I believe they would open fire. If a helicopter approached it, warning shots would be possible.”
Commodore Ivo Vark, commander of the Estonian Navy, told Roonemaa that the ship may be regarded as a military target by Ukraine, given that it supplies natural gas to the heavily armed Kaliningrad exclave.
Original Article: Images show heavy machine guns on Russian LNG carrier in Baltic — Turkiyetoday