Putin hints at targeting vessels of countries supporting Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow may consider striking ships belonging to countries backing Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday that Moscow may consider striking ships belonging to countries backing Ukraine if Kyiv continues escalating attacks on Russia’s oil tankers, according to local media reports.

The Interfax news agency quoted Putin as saying: “What the Ukrainian armed forces are doing now is piracy.”

He said the first possible countermeasure would involve expanding Russian strikes against port infrastructure and ships anchored in Ukrainian ports.

“Secondly, if this continues, we will consider the possibility – I’m not saying we will do this, but we will consider the possibility – of retaliatory measures against the vessels of those countries that assist Ukraine,” he added.

Putin said the most extreme option would be cutting Ukraine off from the sea, which would make piracy impossible in principle.