According to Estonia’s Ministry of Defence, the vessel in question — the Jaguar, flying no national flag and recently added to the United Kingdom’s sanctions list — was operating in international waters between Estonia and Finland when it was approached by Estonian naval forces. The tanker reportedly refused to respond to radio instructions and continued sailing towards Russian territorial waters.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, speaking from Turkey on Thursday, confirmed that the Estonian navy made contact with the Jaguar near Naissaar Island, just off the coast of Tallinn, and opted to escort the vessel away after it failed to identify itself. “The Russian Federation sent a fighter jet to check the situation, and this fighter jet violated NATO territory for close to one minute,” Tsahkna stated. “Russia is clearly prepared to protect its shadow fleet. The situation is really serious.”
The term “shadow fleet” refers to the large number of ageing oil tankers allegedly used by Russia to bypass international sanctions targeting its energy exports. These vessels often operate with unclear ownership, outdated insurance, and substandard safety certification. The Jaguar, previously named Argent, had earlier transported oil from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to India and had returned to the Baltic by early May. Shipping databases list its owner as Sapang Shipping, a firm registered in Mauritius. Attempts to contact the company have been unsuccessful.
According to a spokesperson for Estonia’s Defence Forces, the Russian aircraft involved was a Sukhoi Su-35, which approached the tanker and flew in close proximity while mostly remaining in international airspace. However, the jet briefly crossed into Estonian territory, prompting a NATO response. Fighter aircraft from the Alliance, reportedly Portuguese F-16s stationed in the Baltics under NATO’s air policing mission, were scrambled in reaction to the incursion.
Footage shared on social media, purportedly recorded from the bridge of the Jaguar, showed an Estonian navy patrol ship and helicopter in close vicinity. A military aircraft is also visible in the recording. A voice in English is heard ordering the vessel to alter course: “This is Estonian warship … follow my instructions, alter your course to 105 immediately.” Other off-camera voices — in Russian and Hindi — describe helicopters overhead and a jet circling the vessel.
On Thursday, maritime tracking data showed the Jaguar anchored near the Russian port of Primorsk.
NATO confirmed the airspace violation and described it as part of an ongoing pattern of “destabilising actions” in the Baltic region. Martin O’Donnell, spokesperson for NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), said the Alliance would continue to act within international law to maintain maritime security and the freedom of navigation. “Russia’s destabilising actions will not deter us,” he added.
In recent months, Western officials have expressed increasing concern about Russian maritime behaviour in the Baltic Sea. Several unexplained incidents — including damage to undersea telecom cables, gas pipelines, and power links — have prompted NATO and EU member states to enhance surveillance of regional infrastructure.
Russia, meanwhile, maintains that attempts to inspect or intercept its shipping activities in the Baltic constitute unacceptable interference. Kremlin Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, in comments last month to Kommersant, warned that any Western moves to restrict Russian vessels risk escalation. “Hotheads in London or Brussels need to understand this clearly,” he said, likening such efforts to a naval blockade.
Neighbouring Finland and Lithuania have voiced concern over Moscow’s posture in the region. Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said his government was monitoring the situation closely. “Russia is clearly demonstrating that it is ready to protect the route for its oil,” he told reporters. “We need to act carefully and rationally, so that escalation does not turn into a military clash.”
Estonian naval authorities stressed that the Jaguar’s lack of flag, refusal to communicate, and opaque ownership triggered the intervention. Commander Ivo Vark confirmed that the vessel was approached “because it was sailing without a nationality.” NATO aircraft were dispatched to assess the situation in coordination with Estonia’s naval patrols.
No physical confrontation occurred, and the ship was not detained. The incident, however, adds to growing tensions in the Baltic, where NATO’s eastern flank continues to face pressure in the context of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Gabonese authorities have not commented on Estonia’s claim that the Jaguar is listed under their flag. The ship’s registry status remains unclear.
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