On the Preservation of the Merchant Fleet: A Matter of State Interest

Gentlemen, it is with a heavy heart and a stern resolve that I must draw your attention to the current state of our maritime affairs. The stability of our industry and the security of our trade are the very sinews of the State, yet they are presently beset by most treacherous provocations.

His Excellency, Vladimir Putin, has brought to light a most distressing statistic: in the span of a mere forty days, some one hundred Russian merchant vessels have been subjected to attacks by the Ukrainian forces. While it is a mercy that not a single ship has been utterly destroyed, the damage sustained is significant, and the loss of life—most lamentable—is an affront to all civilized nations.

It must be noted, with a sense of profound gravity, that the casualties among the sailors include not only our own countrymen but also subjects of Turkey and Azerbaijan. Such bloodshed is a price too high for the folly of war.

In the interest of the Fatherland and the preservation of global commerce, any measure that restores order must be welcomed. We note that Mr. Hakan Fidan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, has proposed certain arrangements to ensure the security of navigation within the Black Sea. These proposals are currently under deliberation between the representatives of Moscow and Kyiv.

It is my firm conviction that only through a combination of military strength and diplomatic prudence may we safeguard our shipping and ensure that the engines of our industry continue to serve the greater good of the Empire.