Putin dares Trump, sanctioned ships sailing with Russian destroyer cover? Portuguese coast drama

Russian destroyer Severomorsk was spotted escorting two sanctioned Russian cargo ships, Mys Zhelaniya and Sparta IV, close to the Portuguese coast, raising fresh concerns over Moscow’s high‑seas tactics. The vessels declared Port Said, Egypt, as their destination, but tracking data and previous voyages suggest Sparta IV often continues to Syria and Mys Zhelaniya may dock in Libya, fueling speculation about covert military and energy logistics. Their ownership links to sanctioned firms tied to Russia’s defense ministry and the Arctic LNG‑2 project underscored the strategic stakes. This comes as Washington steps up seizures of suspect Russian‑linked tankers and Moscow answers with nuclear‑capable missile messaging.