Russian LNG carrier with mounted guns spotted in Baltic as Putins yacht reappears off Denmark
Estonia on Tuesday released images showing a Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, the *Marshal Vasilevskiy*, equipped with mounted machine guns and sandbag-protected firing positions while transiting the Baltic Sea in spring 2026. The Estonian authorities said the vessel, which supplies the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, was observed carrying military-grade weaponry normally reserved for combat vessels, prompting immediate scrutiny from NATO allies. The disclosure came as Danish public broadcaster DR reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s luxury superyacht *Graceful*—missing from global tracking systems since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022—was detected off Denmark’s northern coast on Monday, accompanied by two Russian warships and alternately shadowed by Danish naval and German coastguard vessels.
The Estonian Ministry of the Interior confirmed the presence of automatic weapons and fortified firing posts on the *Marshal Vasilevskiy*, a civilian LNG tanker operated by Russia’s Sovcomflot, during a routine maritime patrol in Estonian waters. “These are not standard safety measures,” a police spokesperson told Reuters. “The configuration suggests a deliberate military augmentation of a commercial vessel.” The images, first published by Estonian media on Tuesday, have intensified concerns about Russia’s use of civilian shipping to project military capability in the Baltic, a region already on high alert following repeated incursions by Russian aircraft and vessels.
Meanwhile, the reappearance of the *Graceful*—a 140-metre yacht believed to be owned by Putin—has raised further questions about Moscow’s intentions. Danish radar tracked the vessel as it passed through the Danish Straits into the North Sea on Monday, marking its first confirmed sighting since early 2022. According to MarineTraffic data cited by DR, the yacht was escorted by two Russian destroyers and intermittently monitored by Danish and German naval assets. Analysts note that the timing, coinciding with the Baltic’s escalating tensions, is highly unusual. “A luxury yacht of this profile does not sail unannounced,” said maritime security expert Niels Boel of the University of Copenhagen. “The presence of armed escorts suggests either a deliberate signal or an urgent, undisclosed mission.”
The twin developments underscore a broader pattern of Russian maritime assertiveness in Northern European waters. Earlier this month, reports emerged of anti-drone netting installed on the *Graceful*, a modification typically associated with high-value targets in conflict zones. Estonia’s revelation about the *Marshal Vasilevskiy* follows similar concerns raised by Poland and Lithuania, which have documented Russian LNG carriers operating with enhanced defensive armaments in the Baltic.
NATO’s maritime command in Northwood has called for an urgent briefing, while the European External Action Service declined to comment beyond acknowledging “serious concerns.” The European Commission is expected to raise the issue at Wednesday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. With the Baltic Sea now a flashpoint for hybrid tactics—from GPS jamming to naval posturing—diplomats warn that civilian vessels are increasingly drawn into geopolitical confrontation.
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
3 further sources not geolocated
Articles
VIDEO JA GALERII ⟩ WRC tipud valmistuvad Lõuna-Eesti teedel Rally Estoniaks. Ogier mõtted liiguvad kümnenda MM-tiitli suunas Neil päevil testivad autoralli maailmameistrivõistluste tippsõitjad end ja oma masinat Lõuna-Eesti teedel, et valmistuda pea kahe nädala pärast algavaks Rally Estonia WRC-etapiks. Otsa tegi täna lahti üheksakordne maailmameister Sébastien Ogier, kes vihjas, et mõlgutab endiselt MM-tiitli mõtteid.
postimees · about 3 hours ago
H ελληνική φρεγάτα «Φορμίων» επέστρεψε στο ναυπηγείο της Naval Group μετά από τέσσερις ημέρες δοκιμών Η φρεγάτα «Φορμίων» είναι η τρίτη από τις τέσσερις νέες φρεγάτες που κατασκευάζονται για το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό της Ελλάδας, σύμφωνα με τη γαλλική ιστοσελίδα Mer et Marine
protothema · about 3 hours ago
Ce au observat autoritățile din Estonia pe o navă rusească transportatoare de gaz, în Marea Baltică Estonia a publicat imagini care arată mitraliere şi saci de nisip pentru posturi de tragere protejate instalate pe o navă rusească transportatoare de gaze naturale lichefiate (GNL), relatează marţi agențiile Reuters și Agerpres. Imaginile datează din „primăvara aceasta, când nava metanier rusească trecea prin zona de responsabilitate a Estoniei, a declarat un reprezentant al poliţiei …
hotnews.ro · about 3 hours ago
Ny vending i ubåt-striden: Miljøgifter har allerede rent ut Kystverket har klart å suge opp flytende kvikksølv under vann.
nrk · about 3 hours ago
Så undgår skuggfottans kaptener att straffas i Sverige De fyra kaptenerna från den ryska skuggflottan som suttit i svenskt häkte har alla släppts fria.Ingen har kunnat åtalas – trots falska handlingar.Det är resultatet av Kustbevakningens insatser mot Vladimir Putins viktigaste verktyg för att få in pengar till kriget mot Ukraina.En gemensam juridisk nämnare gör att de inte kan åtalas.
expressen · about 3 hours ago
Geschützt mit Anti-Drohnen-Netzen: Putins Luxus-Jacht samt Kriegsschiff-Eskorte in der Ostsee gesichtet Seit Russlands Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine hat die „Graceful keine Transpondersignale mehr übermittelt – bis jetzt. Die Jacht des Kreml-Chefs wurde in der Ostsee vor Deutschland gesichtet.
tagesspiegel · about 3 hours ago
Russia arms civilian gas ship with machine guns in hostile message to Nato Estonia reveals startling images of Russian natural gas carrier, the Marshal Vasilevskiy, mounted with weaponry and sandbags
independent · about 3 hours ago
A handful of Danish ships left in the Persian Gulf According to Danish Shipping, there is still a handful of ships operated by Danish companies left in the Persian Gulf. Jacob K. Clasen, deputy CEO of Danish Shipping, stated that the security situation around the Strait of Hormuz has recently allowed several Danish ships to exit safely. He noted that the UNs International Maritime Organization […]
cphpost · about 3 hours ago
Estonia images show machine guns on Russian LNG carrier in Baltic
gdeltproject.org · about 3 hours ago
From Klaipėda port to the world: first green hydrogen-powered waste collection vessel begins operations - The Baltic Times A new chapter in the history of green shipping has begun in the Port of Klaipėda with the official naming ceremony of Rasa – firs......
baltic times · about 3 hours ago
Le superyacht de Poutine réapparaît au Danemark après trois ans : simple voyage ou opération secrète ? Le Graceful avait disparu des radars depuis le début de la guerre en Ukraine, en 2022. ...
la libre · about 3 hours ago
Poetins luxejacht met antidronenetten gespot langs Deense kust: Geen twijfel dat schepen in Oostzee gevaar lopen
de morgen · about 3 hours ago
Svenska redaren: Ingen besättning kvar i Hormuz Göteborgsbaserade Stena Bulk har inte längre några sjömän kvar ombord på rederiets enda fartyg som fortfarande befinner sig i det krigshärjade Hormuzsundet.
dagens nyheter · about 3 hours ago
Rosja uzbroiła cywilny statek na Bałtyku w karabiny maszynowe. Po raz pierwszy opublikowano dowody Estońskie służby zauważyły broń na pokładzie rosyjskiego gazowca "Marszałek Wasilewski". Statek zaopatruje obwód królewiecki w skroplony gaz ziemny.
gazeta.pl · about 3 hours ago
Media: Jacht Putina wypływa z Bałtyku. "Rejs jest nietypowy" Jacht "Graceful" przepłynął cieśniny należące do Danii i kieruje się na Morze Północne - powiadomił w poniedziałek duński nadawca publiczny DR. Nie wiadomo, kto znajduje się na pokładzie jachtu. Statek eskortuje rosyjska marynarka wojenna.
gazeta.pl · about 3 hours ago
Putin superyacht Graceful spotted on radar off Denmark The Russian luxury yacht Graceful, said to be the personal vessel of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has appeared on radar for the first time in almost four years, Danish public broadcaster DR reported. According to data from Marinetraffic.com, the vessel sailed along the northern coast of Denmark on Monday. DR reported that from Sunday morning it had been accompanied by two Russian warships as well as alternately by the Danish navy and the German coastguard. The armed forces routinely...
south china morning post · about 3 hours ago
Video of Royal Navy officer discussing migrant Channel crossings is fake A video circulating on Facebook which appears to show a navy officer saying small boat crossings are a violation of sovereignty isnt real. Its been generated with AI.
full fact · about 4 hours ago
Ci vediamo tra tre giorni: lascia sei turisti su una piattaforma arrugginita in mezzo agli squali. È lhotel più pericoloso del mondo Ci vediamo tra tre giorni. Con queste parole il comandante di una barca charter lascia sei turisti su una piattaforma arrugginita nel mezzo dellOceano Atlantico, per poi tornare verso la costa. Piattaforma arrugginita che è anche una struttura ricettiva. È quanto si vede in un video pubblicato su TikTok dal capitano Austin Aycock. Il filmato […] Larticolo Ci vediamo tra tre giorni: lascia sei turisti su una piattaforma arrugginita in mezzo agli squali. È lhotel più pericoloso del mondo proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.
il fatto quotidiano · about 4 hours ago
Одна «яхта Путина» отправилась в Турцию. Другую заметили у берегов Дании (она тоже направляется в Турцию) Яхта «Виктория» (Victoria), которую связывают с президентом РФ Владимиром Путиным, направляется в Турцию. Об этом свидетельствуют данные Marine Traffic, обратила внимание «Верстка».
meduza · about 4 hours ago
Mitraliere şi posturi de tragere au fost observate pe o navă rusească transportatoare de GNL ce naviga în Marea Baltică Estonia a publicat imagini care arată mitraliere şi saci de nisip pentru posturi de tragere protejate instalate pe o navă rusească transportatoare de gaze naturale lichefiate (GNL), relatează Reuters, citată de Agerpres.
digi24 · about 4 hours ago