Estonia images show machine guns on Russian LNG carrier in Baltic

Russia has signaled a more assertive posture in protecting its civilian fleet, as evidenced by surveillance images released by Estonia. These images, captured in the Baltic Sea this spring, show the Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas carrier, Marshal Vasilevskiy, equipped with machine guns and sandbags mounted on its bridge. This deployment suggests a heightened security measure for Russian maritime assets.

In parallel, Russia is implementing a temporary suspension of traffic through several key railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. This measure is set to take effect on July 1. The official government order announcing these closures did not offer any explanation for the decision, nor did it provide an estimated date for when the railway services might be reinstated. The lack of transparency surrounding the closures adds to the uncertainty in regional transit.

Further highlighting the geopolitical climate, the superyacht 'Graceful,' reportedly owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been detected by radar systems. The vessel was observed off the coast of Denmark. Its presence in these waters has attracted attention, particularly in light of the ongoing international geopolitical tensions. The specific reasons for the yacht's current location and movements remain undisclosed.