Russia’s Consulate General slams banning frigate Shtandart from entering Scottish harbor
It noted that "although the Shtandart does not belong to the Russian Federation, she is a replica of the Russian frigate built in 1703 by Peter the Great"
LONDON, July 18. /TASS/. The Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh has noted the absurdity of actions by Scottish authorities who banned the tall ship Shtandart from entering Aberdeen harbor.
"We consider this situation as another consequence of the destructive campaign launched by the British authorities aimed at creating an atmosphere of Russophobia and the notorious ‘cancel culture’ in all parts of the UK, including Scotland," the diplomatic mission said on its Telegram channel.
"The illegitimacy of restrictive measures that contradict international law and common sense is aggravated by the zeal in their implementation taken to the point of absurdity. As a result, everything that even remotely resembles Russia is being blocked. In this case the safety and well-being of seafarers may have also been jeopardized," the consulate added.
It noted that "although the Shtandart does not belong to the Russian Federation, she is a replica of the Russian frigate built in 1703 by Peter the Great." "And among the comrades and associates of the first Russian emperor were the famous Scots General Patrick Gordon and Field Marshal Jacob Bruce. One can easily imagine how these outstanding figures of the past would have assessed the irrational Russophobic policy of the current British and Scottish authorities," the statement reads.
On July 16, the AberdeenLive portal reported that the TS Shtandart had been banned from entering Aberdeen harbor to participate in the Tall Ships Races 2025 due to anti-Russian sanctions in effect in the UK. It specified that the ship’s captain was born in Russia. According to current restrictions, "vessels owned, controlled, chartered or operated by designated persons with links to Russia, and ships flying under the Russian flag or registered in Russia, are prevented from entering ports in the UK under the legislation."
According to the portal, the authorities were not swayed by the ship’s captain Vladimir Martus’ open letter which stated that he left Russia over a decade ago and is now a "long-term resident and taxpayer in Germany." It added that "the ship now sails under the Cook Islands flag and has not returned to Russia in 15 years."
Earlier reports said that the ship’s crew was experiencing issues with calling at ports due to anti-Russia sanctions imposed at the end of June 2024.
The frigate Shtandart is an exact replica of the military ship built by Peter the Great in 1703 for the defense of St. Petersburg. The modern Shtandart was constructed in 1999. The ship is based in St. Petersburg, though the frigate has long been sailing along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Onboard training programs are carried out for those willing to try their hand at being sailors of the ship. The vessel is also used for movie production and various fests.
https://tass.com/politics/1990915
