
Karus: Eestil ei olnud plaani minna varilaevastiku tankeri pardale
Karus: Estonia Had No Plan to Board the Auxiliary Fleet Tanker
Kaitseväe peastaabi ülem kindralmajor Vahur Karus rääkis, et Eestil ei olnud plaani minna Vene varilaevastiku tankeri Jaguari pardale. Ta selgitas, et teisipäeval toimunud intsident oli esimene kord, kui Vene õhuvägi kaitses varilaevastiku alust.
Chief of the Estonian Defence Forces, Major General Vahur Karus, stated that Estonia had no plan to board the Russian auxiliary fleet tanker Jaguar. He explained that the incident on Tuesday was the first time the Russian Air Force protected an auxiliary fleet vessel.
Karus explained what happened on Tuesday. A Russian auxiliary fleet vessel entered the Estonian economic zone. The vessel did not comply with orders. The Russian Air Force sent aircraft to protect the vessel. One aircraft violated Estonian airspace.
On Tuesday morning, the tanker Jaguar was seen heading towards Estonia. Due to suspicions about the lack of a flag state, inquiries were made. It turned out that the vessel indeed had no flag state. Initially, it was claimed that the vessel was flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, but it had been removed. Later, it was claimed that the vessel was flying the flag of Gabon, but that was also not true.
In the evening, the tanker entered the Estonian economic zone. The Estonian Navy began calling the vessel to check its flag state and insurance. The Russian Air Force sent two aircraft. One aircraft violated Estonian airspace.
In the evening, the vessel left the Estonian economic zone and entered the Russian zone. Karus said that this was the first time the Russian Air Force had so actively protected an auxiliary fleet vessel. He added that the Russian Air Force acted professionally, except for the airspace violation.
Karus said there was no reason to board the vessel. It was a deliberate decision. The Estonian Air Defence Unit took off to identify the Russian aircraft. Karus called the media leak a manipulation.
Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said that not boarding the vessel was a deliberate decision. He said that every measure must be appropriate. If there had been a threat to Estonia's security, stricter measures would have been taken.