Comment on Ukraine, I Think It's Going to Be A Long Thread For A While Jump In by rick

Parent Post: Ukraine, I Think It's Going to Be A Long Thread For A While Jump In

rick · 6/4/2025, 2:52:05 PM · permalink

There has been a lot of subterfuge and military action  going on in that Baltic Region with shipping.  Russia's tankers the "Shadow Fleet" are called so because the Sanctions have prevented them from obtaining insurance. Baltic countries have been trying to do Nato's bidding. And as usual there is intrigue. Link and more info below.  
Estonia

"Estonian PM Kaja Kallas faces calls to resign over husband’s business ties to Russia

The hardline anti-Kremlin politician has been dubbed ‘Europe’s New Iron Lady’ for her stance on the Ukraine war but is under pressure after a scandal erupted in the media  
![image](https://us-lax-1.linodeobjects.com/sojooo/comments/1278/1749048725586-d9d85764d224efd4.png)

Manuel Altozano    Link to full article with a short piece below.

Madrid - SEP 08, 2023 - 05:49 EDT

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She has publicly lectured European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron for picking up the phone to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. She maintains an unwavering position on the solution to the invasion of Ukraine: the unconditional withdrawal of the Kremlin’s troops from all Ukrainian territory before any talk of negotiations. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is one of the most hardline voices within the EU and NATO in terms of arms supplies to Kyiv and the tightening of economic sanctions against Moscow, to the point of banning the entry of tourists. Her stance has earned her the nickname “Europe’s New Iron Lady,” coined by New Statesman.

However, at the end of August, a media investigation reported that a company linked to her husband has continued to do business in Russia during the war. The revelations have shaken Kallas’ coalition government. The prime minister, whose center-right Reform Party won the elections last March and governs together with the Social Democrats and the liberal Estonia 200 party, was called to appear before a parliamentary committee and although the opposition is threatening a no-confidence motion, it has yet to get off the ground. Estonia’s president, the independent Alar Karis, lacks the power to dismiss her but has publicly called for her resignation. He has also said as much privately to Kallas herself, as the prime minister has acknowledged, but she is refusing to step down.

The news was broken by Estonian public broadcaster ERR on August 23. Kallas’ husband, Arvo Hallik, continued to conduct business in Russia through his trucking company Stark Logistics even after the invasion of Ukraine, despite the unequivocal position of his wife on stifling Moscow economically through sanctions and cutting any commercial ties with Moscow. Hallik defended himself against the accusations by claiming that his company was only trying to help another Estonian company, Metaprint, which is part-owned by his business partner, to wind up its activities in Russia. But Hallik’s partner, Martti Lemendik, admitted in local media that between February 24, 2022, the date of the invasion, and August 24, 2023, his company sold over $32 million in goods on the Russian market.

The icing on the cake was the declaration of interests that Kallas herself had to submit when she was re-elected as prime minister. It features a loan of €350,000 ($375,000) granted by Kallas to Novaria Consult, a company wholly owned by her husband. It is through the latter that Hallik controls a quarter of Stark Logistics, the trucking company. The question being asked by the opposition and her own coalition government is plain: did the Prime Minister’s money serve to circumvent the sanctions she so strongly defends? Kallas’ answer: she and her husband do not talk about business at home.

The main opposition party — the far-right EKRE — has openly called for new general elections due to the scandal. Isamaa, the conservative party that was part of the previous coalition and ruled with Kallas in her second Cabinet until March, is also demanding her resignation. The Social Democrats, with three ministers in the government, are divided on whether she should go, although for now they are maintaining their support. Critics of the government have pointed out that many Estonian companies have posted losses and faced layoffs after cutting commercial relations with Russia.

Meanwhile, the prime minister’s popularity is plummeting. According to a poll published Thursday by Norstat Estonia, 67% of Estonians believe she should resign, but Kallas is just as determined to keep her job as she is in calling for tougher action against Moscow. “The opposition has a constitutional way to oust me, to file a no-confidence motion. Bullying me until my nerves fail is not constitutional,” she said.

https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-09-08/estonian-pm-kaja-kallas-faces-calls-to-resign-over-husbands-business-ties-to-russia.html  
  
%%Gulf of Finland Incident%%

Recent incidents in the Gulf of Finland involve maritime disputes and tensions between various nations. One notable incident occurred on May 14, 2025, when Estonian naval forces attempted to detain the M/T JAGUAR, a crude oil tanker allegedly part of Russia's shadow fleet, which was sailing under the flag of Gabon.

During this attempt, a Russian Su-35S fighter jet entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland, seemingly to deter Estonian forces.

Another significant incident took place on December 25, 2024, when the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected to be part of the Russian shadow fleet, was detained by Finnish authorities for causing damage to the Estlink 2 submarine power cable and several telecommunications cables under the Gulf of Finland.

The ship is being investigated for aggravated vandalism, an aggravated regulatory offense, and aggravated communication interference.

These incidents highlight the ongoing maritime tensions and security concerns in the Gulf of Finland, particularly involving Russia's shadow fleet and the strategic interests of surrounding countries.

%%Gulf of Finland Incident%%

On June 1, 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) carried out a large-scale special operation codenamed Pavutyna (Web), which targeted Russian strategic assets. However, this operation did not involve an incident in the Gulf of Finland. The context does not provide details about a specific incident occurring in the Gulf of Finland on June 1, 2025.

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