Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening retaliation for Western seizures of its commercial vessels, describing them as "piracy". He said the Russian response would not necessarily go in the waters where the Russian ships were seized, noting that Moscow could retaliate "in any area where we see it as necessary and appropriate", including in the Pacific. "We have enough assets for inspection and detention of vessels of the unfriendly nations and their shadow fleet," Liina told Putin. France and the UK have detained tankers suspected of being of Russia's "shadow fleet" shipping oil in violation of international sanctions. The EU has sanctioned hundreds of "shadow fleet" ships.