Russia has armed a key commercial tanker, the Marshal Vasilevskiy, with heavy machine guns in the Baltic Sea. The vessel, which plays a crucial role in supporting Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, was seen with 12.7mm Kord machine guns mounted on its deck. This development comes as Russia ramps up efforts to protect its shipping, including its 'shadow fleet' used to circumvent Western sanctions on oil exports.
The Marshal Vasilevskiy is Russia's only floating storage and regasification vessel, making it a strategic asset for the country. The addition of heavy machine guns is likely intended to provide close-in protection against naval drone attacks, which have become a significant threat to Russian shipping in the region.
The appearance of heavy machine guns on the Marshal Vasilevskiy underscores Russia's growing concern about the vulnerability of its logistics vessels, including civilian ones, in the Baltic region. This development is part of a broader trend of Russia's militarization of civilian shipping, which could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
