The unflagged tanker known as *Pushpa*, suspected to be operated by Russian interests, has once again stirred up trouble in the Baltic Sea. French authorities recently detained the vessel, launching an investigation into possible sanctions violations, but the implications of its activities may extend far beyond this. Alarmingly, Danish officials are investigating the possibility that drones responsible for temporarily shutting down Copenhagen airport in late September were launched from this very ship.
Russia’s shadow fleet, operating under the Kremlin’s directives but registered under various foreign flags, has become increasingly aggressive in Baltic waters. Danish pilots, uniquely positioned to observe the behavior of these vessels, report troubling trends that have prompted European leaders to exercise heightened caution during their summit in Copenhagen at the beginning of October.
This latest incident involving the *Pushpa* is part of a broader pattern of gray-zone aggression pioneered by Russia. On September 23, travelers at Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport and Oslo’s Gardermoen airport experienced the fallout of this aggression firsthand. Both airports were forced to close for several hours due to drone sightings, leading to the cancellation or diversion of dozens of flights and affecting around 20,000 travelers.
As authorities scrambled to trace the origin of these drones, Danish investigators quickly identified three potential launch sites: a freighter registered in Russia, another freighter partially crewed by Russians, and the *Pushpa*. Investigative reports revealed that the Norwegian company owning the *Oslo Carrier 3*, the ship with Russian crew members, has longstanding ties to the Russian paramilitary group RSB Group, which operates from Kaliningrad.
The *Pushpa* is no stranger to the Baltic Sea or the Danish Straits. It regularly transports Russian oil to various buyer countries. Before its detention in France, the ship was en route to the Indian port of Vadinar and has a history of sailing under multiple flags to evade scrutiny. Notably, it was previously operating under the name *Kiwala* and has faced multiple detentions for lacking flag registration—a clear violation of maritime regulations.
In April, while the *Kiwala* was navigating the Gulf of Finland, Estonian authorities detained it for not having proper registration. Upon inspection, they discovered an astonishing 40 deficiencies. Although the vessel was released after rectifying many of these issues, it has continued to operate in the Baltic Sea, often under dubious flags, such as a false registration from Malawi.
The brazen tactics employed by Russian shadow vessels pose significant risks, not just from a regulatory perspective but also in terms of safety within the Baltic Sea. These ships frequently operate without proper insurance and disregard regulations, such as employing local pilots in the hazardous Danish Straits. Bjarne Skinnerup, a maritime pilot with extensive experience, noted a sharp increase in the number of ships refusing pilot assistance—up from two or three daily before the invasion of Ukraine to at least five now. The combination of unregulated vessels and unsafe navigation practices represents a dangerous scenario for Denmark and its neighboring countries.
In addition to these concerning operational practices, the presence of Russian shadow vessels is marked by increasingly suspicious activities. Skinnerup reported that many of these ships lack essential documentation, such as bills of lading, which are crucial for identifying the sender and recipient of cargo. The absence of this paperwork raises questions about what these vessels might be transporting and whether they are attempting to conceal illicit activities.
Perhaps even more alarming, reports have emerged of uniformed personnel, believed to be members of the Russian Navy, being spotted aboard these shadow vessels. These individuals are not listed on crew manifests, leading to speculation that they may be involved in mapping critical Danish infrastructure, further escalating the threat presented by these maritime operations.
Retired Rear Admiral Nils Wang, a former commander of the Danish Navy, underscored the implications of these developments, stating that Russian shadow vessels might be using Baltic routes to undertake hostile reconnaissance activities while taking advantage of international maritime law that limits coastal state jurisdiction in these waters.
Compounding these concerns, a Russian landing ship, *Aleksandr Shabalin*, has been reported lingering off the southern island of Langeland, raising further alarm as European Union leaders gathered in Copenhagen for their summit, necessitating tight security measures.
Despite the challenges posed by Russian-linked vessels operating in the Danish Straits, there are steps that can be taken to bolster surveillance and monitoring efforts. Wang suggested establishing a fleet of fast, uncrewed surface vessels equipped with sensors to monitor maritime traffic, akin to urban CCTV systems, to provide a sense of oversight in these critical waters.
Tracking Russia’s shadow fleet remains a complex and often classified endeavor, but the insights provided by Danish pilots who witness these activities firsthand are invaluable. Their observations highlight the urgent need for vigilance and proactive measures to safeguard both national and regional security in the face of evolving maritime threats. As the situation unfolds, the importance of international solidarity and cooperative maritime governance becomes ever clearer.
