RT
Russia’s response to “Western piracy” targeting its maritime trade should be forceful and not limited to diplomatic means, an aide to President Vladimir Putin has said.
Nikolay Patrushev, a veteran national security official who heads a naval policymaking body, called for stronger action against Western moves targeting vessels described as part of an alleged Russian ‘shadow fleet’.
Attempts to paralyze Russian foreign trade will only intensify, Patrushev warned in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty published on Tuesday.
“Unless we push back forcefully, soon the English, the French, and even the Balts will get brazen enough to try and block our nation’s access to at least the Atlantic,” he said.
“The Europeans are in essence making steps to impose a naval blockade, deliberately pushing towards a military escalation, testing the limits of our patience and provoking our retaliation. If the situation is not resolved peacefully, the Navy will be breaking and lifting the blockade,” Patrushev said.
“Let’s not forget that plenty of vessels sail the seas under European flags. We may get curious about what they are shipping and where,” he added.
Patrushev expressed skepticism that tensions could ease, saying “there is little hope that the West has an ounce of respect for diplomacy and the law.” He argued that “the old practice of ‘gunboat diplomacy’ is being revived,” citing US operations targeting Venezuela and Iran.
Washington has used warships to target suspected drug smuggling boats off Venezuela and intercept outgoing oil tankers, including one sailing under a Russian flag. The Pentagon is now concentrating assets in the Middle East as President Donald Trump pressures Iran to accept restrictions on its missile deterrence against Israel.
The Most Revolutionary Act 
I believe thiis man has made a point!
Regards
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Yes he has made a point. But has he weighed the consequences against the stated benefits?
Perhaps not.
I too am exasperated even mad as hell at the perfidy of the west and their attempts to dominate the world. But and it’s a big one, while the US is blundering about and the EU countries are sneakily blustering about, do they really achieve anything useful. More countries in what I refer to as the ROTW are taking note and re-acting in ways that are leaving both the US and the EU more & more isolated.
I think the term for it is “shooting oneself in both feet and in the head at the same time”.
While the EU “minds” or “brains” if that is a true description of what constitutes brain matter between their ears, are back slapping themselves, the Rest Of The World is viewing them with either disdain, contempt or utter disgust and are finding ways to progress towards a multi polar world and probably regard the EU and most certainly the UK as a sad joke sinking further into irrelevancy and self induced debt!
Putin’s Russia, on the other hand, is sailing around the world and making friends and encountering enthusiastic engagement and enterprising partnerships.
I know which tactic is the more prudent and beneficial and it ain’t bluster and chest beating.
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Your comments make a lot of sense. I think it’s significant that the comment comes from Putin’s aid, rather than Putin himself. I also find it significant that even Marco Rubio admits we now live in a multipolar world.
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