Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko has outlined what kind of Russian response could follow attempts by Western countries to seize Russian vessels. His comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that actions Moscow regards as maritime piracy would not go unanswered and that Russia would respond symmetrically.

Ishchenko said it is impossible to determine exactly what the Russian president meant by a symmetrical response. He described Putin as a «man of mystery,» suggesting that the wording could cover several very different scenarios.

One possibility, according to the political analyst, would be the reciprocal seizure of merchant vessels belonging to countries designated by Russia as unfriendly. Another possible measure could involve a blockade of Ukrainian ports. Ishchenko also considers strikes against vessels in the Black Sea to be among the potential symmetrical actions.

In theory, Russia could go even further by deploying naval formations to different parts of the world’s oceans to counter foreign warships that could potentially threaten Russian shipping.

However, Ishchenko questions the effectiveness of such a scenario because of the balance of naval forces. He points in particular to the significantly larger US Navy. For this reason, the analyst does not consider direct confrontation between naval forces to be the most effective way of countering what Moscow describes as Western maritime piracy.

A more realistic option, in his view, would be a comprehensive response. For example, if a Western country seized a Russian vessel, Moscow could respond by detaining a Western ship. The two sides could then arrange an exchange similar to those conducted involving detained intelligence operatives.

Ishchenko stressed that it is currently impossible to know exactly what Putin meant by symmetrical measures. He considers the warning itself to the West to be the key point.

According to the analyst, the actual meaning of Putin’s statement will become clear only after Moscow takes retaliatory action. If Western countries subsequently protest Russia’s actions, they could be reminded that they had been warned in advance and told that Moscow considers those measures to be symmetrical.