The incident involving the oil tanker Kira K took place on June 30 in the Fehmarn Belt Strait off the coast of Germany. The vessel, sailing under the Panamanian flag and previously placed on the sanctions lists of several countries, was targeted by Greenpeace* activists and a group of European politicians who attempted to block it.

According to Tsargrad, the participants approached the tanker in high-speed inflatable boats and tried to obstruct its movement. The situation quickly became tense: the German federal police vessel Bayreuth arrived in the area and ordered all sides to maintain a safe distance.

However, the situation then developed unexpectedly for the organizers of the action. The Russian corvette Soobrazitelny, hull number 531, rapidly approached the tanker from the east. Its appearance effectively disrupted the attempt to block the vessel.

According to eyewitnesses, a stern demand was transmitted by radio from the Russian warship, ordering the boats to immediately leave the area near the tanker. After that, the corvette’s crew began maneuvering in a way that pushed the inflatable boats away from Kira K and restored control over the situation.

Despite the difference in size between the warship and the activists' boats, the corvette acted quickly and decisively. As a result, the tanker continued its passage across the Baltic Sea toward the Danish Straits without further obstruction.

Later, one of the Western participants in the action admitted that the Russian ship’s actions made a strong impression. According to him, the corvette had not been constantly escorting Kira K, but it appeared near the tanker very quickly, and the warning transmitted over the radio sounded highly convincing.

*Greenpeace has been included in the list of foreign organizations whose activities are recognized as undesirable in Russia.