Russian authorities have proposed that shipowners and grain traders install machine guns and portable anti-aircraft missile systems on dry cargo vessels in the Azov Sea to protect against Ukrainian drone attacks, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.
According to the agency, military officials and relevant ministries are consulting with market participants. Passive protection measures under discussion include armor plates, sandbags, and anti-drone nets. The proposal also calls for equipping ships with special platforms for machine guns.
Under the plan, according to documents seen by Bloomberg, military personnel would board vessels in Azov Sea ports, mount machine guns with thermal imaging sights, and escort the ship to the Kerch Strait. After passing through the strait, they would leave the vessel along with the weapons. Another option under discussion is moving ships in convoys guarded by military patrol boats.
The costs of retrofitting vessels and providing military escort, the agency reported, would be borne by traders and shipowners. Some market participants are skeptical about the effectiveness of such measures and warn they could prove too expensive.
About a quarter of Russia's grain exports pass through the Azov Sea. However, Bloomberg noted that over the past two weeks, shipments have effectively halted due to strikes on ports and vessels. If the situation does not change, Russia could lose between 0.5 million and 1.5 million metric tons of grain exports per month, according to estimates by research firm SovEcon. Against the backdrop of mutual strikes on ports, wheat prices have risen to a two-year high.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the information the day before, said that international maritime law prohibits the placement of weapons on civilian vessels. At the same time, he said, the Russian navy can take measures to protect merchant ships. Peskov cited a statement by Vladimir Putin, who called for combating attacks on the commercial fleet as piracy.
Armed guards have previously been spotted on tankers of the “shadow fleet” transporting Russian oil in circumvention of sanctions, Bloomberg reported. Ukraine has also attacked these vessels.