Putin aide labels UK 'blackbeard pirates' as London moves to seize Russian ships

Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin says British plans to stop or seize Russian vessels amount to “a return to the era of the pirate Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard,” warning that Britain is no longer “ruler of the seas” and that such actions “will not go unpunished.” He accuses London and other Western states of unprecedented “double standards” and disregard for international law in attempts to “spite Russia,” urging the U.K. to “carefully consider the risks before embarking on dangerous ventures.”