Poland expels Russian ship from shadow fleet after 'suspicious maneuvers' near power cable

Poland has expelled a Russian ship belonging to the country's shadow fleet. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported the incident on X, stating that the ship made 'suspicious maneuvers' near a power cable connecting Poland and Sweden.

The Polish Navy intervened, prompting the Russian ship to sail back to one of Russia's ports. According to Poland's Defense Minister, the maneuvers occurred above a power cable owned by the Polish grid operator PSE. This marks the second recent incident involving a Russian shadow fleet vessel and a NATO ally.

Last week, Estonia also encountered a ship allegedly part of the Russian fleet. Estonia intended to inspect the oil tanker, but the investigation was thwarted when a Russian fighter jet intervened, violating NATO airspace.

The Russian shadow fleet is estimated to consist of at least 100 ships, often sailing under flags of other countries. Western nations accuse Russia of using these vessels to evade sanctions.