Putin vows Moscow will retaliate if European nations impound Russian ships again. European Union approves new sanctions targeting oil and goods aboard Russian vessels seized.
Sweden and France confiscate shadow fleet ships alleged to violate harsh sanctions.
Putin calls these moves piracy, equating European actions to state-level banditry efforts. The Russian President promises symmetry, suggesting responses will match Western measures exactly.
Statement delivered as Russian navy drills near Sakhalin Island with Varyag cruiser present. Tensions escalate between Moscow, Kiev, and Seoul as U. S.-South Korean exercises approach.