Images taken by Estonian border guards last month and released on June 29 show the Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Marshal Vasilevsky equipped with at least two 12.7 mm Kord machine guns. The vessel was observed sailing in waters west of Estonia, en route to Bolshoy Bor port in the Gulf of Finland. This marks the first time an armed Russian civilian vessel has appeared in the Baltic region, according to editor Thomas Newdick of the US military specialist publication War Zone.

The Marshal Vasilevsky is approximately 290 meters long and has a gross tonnage of 118,000 tons. Owned by the Gazprom group, it regularly transports LNG to the Kaliningrad exclave. This vessel is Russia's only one capable of storing and regasifying LNG, playing a strategic role in supporting Kaliningrad's energy needs.

The machine guns are mounted on the command bridge roof, the highest point on the ship, and are surrounded by sandbags. These weapons are almost certainly intended to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Earlier in June, Ukraine deployed UAVs to attack the Kronstadt naval base near St. Petersburg, marking one of the first strikes against Russia's Baltic Fleet.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, forcing the withdrawal of warships from the Crimean peninsula. Beyond UAVs, Ukraine has also utilized unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in attacks in the Black Sea, sometimes extending to the Mediterranean Sea. Newdick notes that while Ukraine has not yet used USVs and UUVs to attack targets in the Baltic Sea, it possesses the full capability to do so. Russia is also preparing for the possibility of Ukraine launching a similar attack to the "Spider Web" operation in June 2025, where a series of drones were deployed from trucks in close proximity to targets.

Kord machine guns on the Marshal Vasilevsky in an image released on June 29. *Photo: Estonian Border Guard*

Equipping the Marshal Vasilevsky with heavy machine guns also serves as a signal to NATO that its vessels should not approach the tanker. The crew could fire warning shots at helicopters or boats carrying personnel, as Kord machine guns can easily neutralize helicopters.

However, sailors on civilian vessels like the Marshal Vasilevsky are typically not trained to operate heavy machine guns. Therefore, Russian military personnel or Federal Security Service (FSB) staff would likely be on board. The ship could also carry shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to counter UAVs.

The Marshal Vasilevsky in an image taken in October 2024. *Photo: Marine Traffic*

In a broader context, European officials have repeatedly intercepted vessels belonging to the "shadow fleet", a term used by the West to refer to oil tankers that Russia employs to circumvent sanctions. These vessels are often managed through a network of shell companies to obscure ownership. Russia has recently adopted increasingly assertive measures to protect its oil tanker fleet, including deploying warships to escort vessels through the English Channel between the UK and France. On June 16, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at a British yacht, citing a "dangerously close approach" in the area.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters, War Zone)