Short URL – https://bit.ly/Shtandart-La-Rochelle-en
After a summer 2023 of lucrative commercial performances at various French maritime festivals, the Russian ship « Shtandart » is back in La Rochelle, the epicentre of an astonishing Franco-Russian collaboration. Indeed, it was in this port that was built the remarkable scenario justifying the circumvention of European sanctions imposed following the Russian massacres in Bucha.
The purpose of this folder is to provide substantiated information to those who are trying to go beyond the mere peremptory assertions made by one side or the other regarding a case with multiple ramifications.
- Commercial services provided by a Russian vessel based in La Rochelle
- Russian texts contradict La Rochelle malignant scenario
- A potential threat to French national security
- “Shtandart », an international case
- A vessel falling within the scope of European sanctions
- Criminal contingencies
- The long march towards the restoration of the rule of law
- Public figures who have spoken out in favour of « Shtandart », despite EU sanctions, and/or who have used its commercial services
- Download this article as a booklet
1. Commercial services provided by a Russian vessel based in La Rochelle
https://bit.ly/shtandart-commercial
The « Shtandart » vessel is owned by the « Shtandart Project » company, whose address is at Ploshchad’ Morskoy Slavy, n°1, suite a, Municipal harbor district, 199106 – Saint Petersburg, Russia. Its shareholders are Vladimir Martus (60.34%), Andrey Akhmatov (17.88%), Lidia Plekhanova (15.64%), Sergey Neustupov (3.07%) and Sergey Alekseev (3.07%).
Since 8 June 2022, this ship, registered in St Petersburg, has been occupying the port of La Rochelle with the encouragement of the mayor, the prefect and the director of the Atlantic Port, as well as that of a complacent local press.
In La Rochelle, and in the Charente-Maritime department in general, the lack of independence of the press and its professional shortcomings resulted in clouding the debate around « Shtandart », when they have not contributed to misinforming public opinion. On the other hand, the quality of the journalists in Spanish Galicia meant that the case was closed, there, in July 2022, in less than a fortnight. See :
- El Faro de Vigo, 10/07/2022, Una fragata rusa capea las sanciones y se dirige a Vigo.
- Galicia@PRESS, 31/07/2022, La fábula anti-Putin que permitió a la fragata rusa Shtandart atracar en Galicia
Readers will note that, contrary to what is often claimed, « Shtandart » is not a training ship. Its programme shows that it only leaves temporarily La Rochelle to provide commercial services at various French maritime festivals or to offer tourist trips lasting a few hours in the Charente straits (Pertuis charentais).
Unless expressly prohibited by the local authorities, the « Shtandart » is flying the Russian flag and war pennant during its port visits. However, after the adoption of the restrictive measures, just before its first arrival in La Rochelle on 06/06/2022, it deactivated its AIS*. This behaviour, aimed at better concealing its movements, is in line with that of other Russian vessels circumventing international sanctions.
Note: AIS* stands for « Automatic Identification System ». It is a navigation aid. It allows information about transmitting vessels to be communicated to ships within a certain radius. Above all, it enables transmitting vessels to be visible in difficult conditions and to avoid collisions. It displays: ship’s name, flag, MMSI number (identification number specific to each ship), ship’s position, course, speed, port of departure and arrival.
2. Russian texts contradict La Rochelle malignant scenario
https://bit.ly/shtandart-scenario
Russian texts, including some from the hand of Vladimir Martus, show that he, the majority owner and captain of the “Shtandart“, maintains close links, including financial ones, with the Russian authorities, as the following examples demonstrate.
1) The “Shtandart” technical, and not political, dispute with the Russian Ministry of Transport was settled in favour of Vladimir Martus by an intervention at the highest level of the Russian state in July 2020.
- See ‘Shtandart’ Instagram account on 14/07/2020 – Хорошая новость – фрегат « ШТАНДАРТ » получил полновесную…
- See the « Shtandart » website on 20/07/2020 – Ждём «Штандарт» в Петербурге !
- See Fontanka.ru on 21/07/2020 – «Когда российский корабль не может зайти в Россию — это непорядок»: капитан «Штандарта» о пути домой длиной в 11 лет”
2) Less than six months before the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as the sound of Russian boots became deafening, in October 2021, the ‘Shtandart’ carried out a very official mission to represent the Russian Federation in the Aegean Sea on behalf of the Russian Geographical Society, under the direction of Sergei Shoigu, the minister responsible for the war in Ukraine. The purpose of the expedition was to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the naval victory of Cheshme against the Ottoman Empire.
- See Russian Geographical Society report, 01/11/2021: The butterfly effect: why the appearance of the Russian sailing frigate excited Greece
- See the report by Andrey Maslov, Russian Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Greece, 18/02/2022: Андрей Маслов: для антироссийской пропаганды почва в Греции не благоприятна
3) Finally, it should be noted that the Aegean expedition of the ‘Shtandart’ took place under the auspices of Vladimir Putin. It was financed by the Grant Fund of the Russian Presidential Administration, i.e. by Putin’s personal coffer.
- See the presentation of the mission by the Russian Geographical Society, 06/07/2020: Путешествие сквозь века: в год 250-летия чесменского сражения к греческим островам отправится уникальная экспедиция
The fact remains that Michel Balique, president of the « Sail Training Association France » and sales representative for the Shtandart, Patrice Bernier, director of La Rochelle marina, and Ludovic Pacciarella, Vladimir Martus’s agent, despite the fact that they are in a conflict of interest, have successfully promoted, with the benevolence of La Rochelle municipality, the tale of a ship and its captain who are « exiles », « supporters of Ukraine » and « visceral opponents of Vladimir Putin for 13 years ».
To be more certain of imposing this narrative, they used humanitarian aid to Ukraine as a tool, calling on the assistance of their relations within the State security services, and defaming, harassing or even threatening the Ukrainian community in La Rochelle. Jean-François Fountaine, mayor of the town, ignored the warning sent to him as early as June 16, 2022 by Oleksiy Goncharenko, Odessa MP at the Verkhovna Rada and member of Ukraine’s permanent parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe. As a result, he dismissed the information concerning the practices of the aforementioned trio, which had been given carte blanche. Nor did Jean-François Fountaine respond to the Ukrainian politician’s kind invitation.
=> Access to Oleksiy Goncharenko’s letter in its French original version.
As far as Brice Blondel, Prefect of Charente-Maritime, is concerned, we recall the comment made by his predecessor, Nicolas Basselier, in the summer of 2022, to Vadym Omelchenko, the Ukrainian ambassador in France. According to our sources, he told him that the « Shtandart » case was a « solved problem ».
As a matter of fact, the Prefect only ordered the Russian ship to go and hide, very temporarily, in the former German submarine base of La Pallice. Thus, this location became the symbol of a Franco-Russian collaboration that is reminiscent of another one.
3. A potential threat to French national security
https://bit.ly/shtandart-threat
Vladimir Martus, who is close to the Russian government, enjoys a prodigious network of influence in the maritime world, among senior French officials, politicians, maritime festival organisers and local administrations. He is bound to be of interest to the special services of a government hostile to France and eager for meddling tools.
Moreover, his ship, equipped with two 560 hp pods (a total of 1,120 hp), is overpowered and particularly manoeuvrable. It has a shallow draught and is rigged with a 33 m high mast. These features could make the “Shtandart” a perfect platform for gathering acoustic, radio and optical intelligence while the other Russian ships are being banned from our ports.
At a time when not a week goes by without Russia threatening us with nuclear apocalypse, these are areas of risk that should not be overlooked. That being said, since June 2022, the ‘Shtandart’, with its disconnected AIS, has been showing a strong interest in the bay of Brest and the Crozon peninsula. In the past, it didn’t seem to have visited them with such a frequency.
4. “Shtandart », an international case
https://bit.ly/shtandart-international
In Ukraine, the « Shtandart » case is not regarded as a La Rochelle local news item. It is seen as a case concerning the attacked country, the Russian invader, the European Union and France, whose public statements such as « at the same time », « we must not humiliate Russia », « we must engage in dialogue with Vladimir Putin » and so on, are worrying.
In the context of the case of the Russian vessel « Shtandart » in the port of La Rochelle, the municipality of Lviv is asking the Ukrainian presidential office, the Yermak-MCFaul expert group and the European Commission to check all European Union ports for breaches of the fifth package of the European sanctions.
5. A vessel falling within the scope of European sanctions
https://bit.ly/shtandart-sanctions
While France held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Council unanimously adopted the 5th round of sanctions, following the Russian crimes in Bucha. It is formalised in Article 3ea of European Regulation n°833/2014. Its paragraph 1 discloses: “It shall be prohibited to provide access, after 16 April 2022, to ports and, after 29 July 2022, to locks in the territory of the Union, to any vessel registered under the flag of Russia, with the exception of access to locks for the purpose of leaving the territory of the Union.“
It should be noted that the text refers to « ANY vessel » and not to certain « categories » of vessels. Furthermore, the « Shtandart » is covered by many of the maritime relevant international conventions mentioned in subparagraph (a), paragraph 3 of article 3ea of the same European regulation.
Paragraph 3, subparagraph (a) of article 3ea from EU Regulation n°833/2014
- For the purposes of this Article, with the exception of paragraph 1a, a ‘vessel’ means:
(a) a ship falling within the scope of the relevant international conventions;
Furthermore, the 5th round of sanctions makes no distinction as to the nationality of the shipowner, captain or crew. All that matters is the flag under which the ship is registered. Finally, no alibi, even an actual one, given by this ship could make it eligible for the derogations, which are listed exhaustively.
As a consequence, the « justifications » put forward by Nicolas Basselier, the current Prefect’s predecessor, together with Catherine Léonidas, First Deputy Mayor of La Rochelle, on France 3, Sud-Ouest and Libération, in December 2022 and January 2023, have no legal value.
They were given to a docile press, which did not read the text of the sanctions. Their aim was to gain public acceptance for the Russian ship and to counter the mobilisation of the Franco-Ukrainian collective, #NoShtandartInEurope, calling for European commitments to be respected in the context of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
Unlike European directives, which must be transposed into national legislation, regulations are applied unchanged and identically in all EU countries. The “Shtandart” ban on access to European ports has been implemented by all other countries since July 2022.
It is only in France, and mainly in La Rochelle, that the Russian ship can still circumvent the law thanks to agents of influence within the local authorities and the French state apparatus. The unsigned pass-through from the French National Authority of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED) is a case in point.
=> Access to DNRED’s letter in its French original version.
6. Criminal contingencies
https://bit.ly/shtandart-criminal
According to the European Commission, the general coordination of sanctions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. It is important to note that the same ministry logically contradicts the statements made by former prefect Nicolas Basselier and by Catherine Léonidas. It would be wise to take this into account.
“From a legal point of view, Article 3ea of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014… could apply to this vessel, unless it is desired to make an exception to it on an expedient basis.
The vessel may request a derogation from this application from the Treasury Department, but there is no guarantee that this will be granted.
The captain’s profile does not appear to justify such a waiver. It might be advisable for the Préfecture to contact him to explain the prohibition he faces if he does not stop flying the Russian flag.”
French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
Whatever could be the position of the current prefect and of Michel Puyrazat, director of the “Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle”, who is also acting as the director of the “Grand Port Maritime de Nantes Saint-Nazaire”, it seems that Jean-François Fountaine, the mayor of La Rochelle, would do well to distance himself from this breach of European regulations.
La Rochelle mayor would be well advised to follow the courageous stance taken by David Samzun, mayor of Saint-Nazaire.
« I learned this morning from the press of the potential arrival of a Russian frigate in the port of Saint-Nazaire and the questions that this arrival, if confirmed, raises. My position has been called into question, and I would like to remind you that, as mayor, I am not granted with the powers of the port authority, nor with the power to police the port, as specified in the French Transport Code.
I would also like to remind you that, in accordance with European regulations, except in emergencies and to save human lives, « it is forbidden to give access, after 16 April 2022, to ports and, after 29 July 2022, to locks located in the territory of the Union to any vessel registered under the Russian flag, with the exception of access to locks to leave the territory of the Union ».
Press release from David Samzun, mayor of Saint-Nazaire
It is emphasized that, since 28 November 2022, the European Council has added the violation of restrictive measures to the list of EU criminal offenses. Violation of sanctions thus joins crimes such as « terrorism, trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of women and children, illicit drug trafficking, illicit arms trafficking, money laundering, corruption, counterfeiting of means of payment, computer crime and organised crime ».
On 9 June 2023, the European Council specified that: « Actions which member states will label as criminal offences include: ..helping persons subject to Union restrictive measures… » (and) « An aggravating circumstance for instance would be that the offence is committed… by a public official. »
7. The long march towards the restoration of the rule of law
The #NoShtandartInEurope collective observes that press is now carefully studying the European text on restrictive measures. Media attention is no longer limited to the allegations made by politicians or government representatives. They are in a position to understand the possible fallacious nature of such a communication. Below is an initial list of articles showing actual journalistic work.
We’re moving further away from the days when La Rochelle’s only local daily published the rigmarole with legal pretensions that was dictated to it.
- La Croix (suscribers) – Raphaël Baldos – 18/03/2023 : In Morbihan, a collective is opposing the arrival of a Russian ship (Fr)
- Ouest-France (free) – Benoît Robert – 16/08/2023 : The arrival of the « Shtandart » raises questions in Saint-Nazaire (Fr)
- Ouest-France (free) – Arthur Quentin – 23/08/2023 : Does the Russian ship « Shtandart » have the right to enter French ports? (Fr)
- Hit-West (free) – Gianni Castillo – 05/09/2023 : La Rochelle. Can the Russian ship « Shtandart » be allowed into French ports? (Fr)
Similarly, as mentioned at the beginning of this brochure, the #NoShtandartInEurope collective posted on line Russian documents evidencing the fictional nature of the Vladimir Martus hoax. We must not rule out the possibility that they will soon be exploited by investigative journalists. This will put an end to the fable of the « Shtandart », « Putin’s opponent », « stateless ship », « Russian-Ukrainian ship », « dissident », « charity organisation », « victim of the Russian war in the same way as Ukrainians », « supporter of Ukraine », and so on. All these assertions, although not valid as derogations, distracted public opinion from a remarkably sophisticated sanctions fraud scheme.
The #NoShtandartInEurope collective is also in contact with the services of David O’Sullivan, the International Special Envoy for Implementation of EU Sanctions. Furthermore, it is working to inform the members of the French National Assembly about this case of circumvention. Moreover, an action before an administrative court will probably be launched in the short or medium term.
Nor has the criminal offence of aiding and abetting the Shtandart fraud been forgotten. The #NoShtandartInEurope collective will not rest until the rule of law applies to the ”Shtandart”, to Vladimir Martus and to their accomplices.
This is on condition that Ukrainians do not come specially from Ukraine to take a direct action against what they consider to be a legitimate target, given the toxic nature of its propaganda. It is to be hoped that reason, legality and morality will soon prevail. The authorities, like the collective, would have a lot to lose in the event of an uncontrolled and brutal end to this Franco-Russian collaboration that makes a mockery of France’s international signature.
8. Public figures who have spoken out in favour of « Shtandart », despite EU sanctions, and/or who have used its commercial services
https://bit.ly/shtandart-network
Non-exhaustive list as of 23/09/2023
- François Cuillandre, mayor of Brest,
- Fabrice Rigoulet-Roze, prefect of Loire-Atlantique,
- Yannick Moreau, mayor of Les Sables-d’Olonne
- Xavier Brunetière, prefect of Manche,
- Stéphane Sorre, president of Granville Terre et mer (Festival des Voiles de travail),
- Pierre Morvan, president of Festival du Chant de Marin, Paimpol,
- Jacques Billant, prefect of Pas-de-Calais,
- Marcel Charpentier, president of Fédération Régionale pour la Culture et le Patrimoine Maritime (Escale à Calais festival),
- François-Xavier Camenen, president of the association Maison de l’Europe de Vannes Bretagne Sud,
- David Robo, mayor of Vannes,
- Gérard d’Aboville, general ccommissioner of the Gulf of Morbihan Week,
- Vice-Admiral d’Escadre Olivier Lebas, former Commander-in-Chief for the Atlantic and Maritime Prefect for the Second Region, Brest,
- Jean-Paul Rivière, president of the Armada Rouen 2023 association,
- Unnamed official from the DNRED (Direction Nationale du Renseignement et des Enquêtes Douanières – National Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate)
- Sylvie Marcilly, president of the Charente-Maritime General council
- Nicolas Basselier, former prefect of Charente-Maritime
- Catherine Léonidas, first deputy mayor of La Rochelle
- Laurent Clotteau, president of Bateaux de Normandie association, boat festival at Port-Lamy (Caen-Mondeville)
- Alain Sevellec, president of Voiles de Camaret association,
- Maël Terry, maritime coordinator of Temps-Fête festival, Douarnenez,
- Michel Balique, lobbyist for the « Shtandart » and president of Sail Training Association France
- Etc.
Case: why is La Rochelle harbour occupied by the Russian ship »Shtandart »? by Bernard Grua for #NoShtandartInEurope is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://bernardgrua.net/contact-bernard-grua/.
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The "Shtandart" In Europe 
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