Estonia confiscated a Russian oil in the Baltic Sea. The boat is part of Moscow's ghost fleet

The Estonian authorities have detained and climbed on board a ship in the Baltic Sea, belonging to the Russian fleet, announced on Friday, April 11, Estonian Minister of Economy and Infrastructure, Kristen Michal.

The confiscated oil is part of Russia's shutterstock photo ghost fleet

The vessel, which according to Michal did not sail under the pavilion of any country, had previously been registered in Djibouti, according to public data. It was detained near the Gulf of Tallinn, in an operation that involved helicopters including Politico.

“This morning, the Estonian navy retained a sanctioned ship, without the pavilion. Our authorities are on board and verifies its legal status and safety.”Michal wrote on social networks.

The ship was heading to the port of UST-luga, a key point for the export of Russian oil through the Baltic Sea, according to ERR Estonian public television.

Moscow controls a vast fleet of oil tanks in the Baltic Sea, used to bypass the sanctions imposed by the West and, say the allies of Ukraine, to fund Russia against this country.

These ghost ships do not fly the flag-which violates international maritime legislation-and have dubious documentation. Some are suspected of being involved in sabotage actions at the bottom of the sea.

“It is no secret that in the last year there have appeared in the bay of Finland several ships that sail without documents.”said Estonian Border Police official, Veiko Kommusar, for ERR. “We can clearly say that I am part of the ghost fleet.”

Western authorities have intensified their efforts to confiscate these illegal tanks, and even thought to sink them. Estonia's parliament approved a law on Wednesday that allows the navy to use “Military force” against the suspected commercial ships to represent a “threat“For critical submarine infrastructure.

In December, the Finnish authorities confiscated another oil tank, suspected of sabotaging a submarine electrical connection between Estonia and Finland.