British armed forces have intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker attempting to pass through the English Channel, PM Keir Starmer says.
British armed forces have intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker attempting to pass through the English Channel on Sunday.
The vessel Smyrtos was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
“The military operation, which lasted 6 hours, was supported with aircraft from the Maritime Air Group (Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat), an RAF P-8 aircraft, as well as HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury,” the government said.
“The Prime Minister agreed in March that British Armed Forces and law enforcement officers were able to board shadow fleet vessels, in accordance with international law.”
The vessel will be held and monitored off the south coast as investigations continue, the statement said, adding that enforcement action in Britain’s territorial waters was carried out in accordance with domestic and international law.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had directed the interception.
This morning, UK forces boarded a Russian tanker in the English Channel that was secretly helping to bankroll Putin's war in Ukraine.
The first operation of its kind led by British forces, and a clear message: there is nowhere to hide. pic.twitter.com/RQdw7bmuQw
“This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide,” Mr Starmer said in a post on X.
In an official statement, the British PM said the operation delivered “yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that they cannot hide”.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the operation required “skill, professionalism and courage”.
“Russia relies on its shadow fleet to fund their conflict in Ukraine and our interdiction delivers a blow to Putin’s illegal war.,” he said.
It is believed a shadow fleet of up to 700 vessels was responsible for carrying 75 per cent of Russia’s sanctioned oil.
The UK has sanctioned almost 600 so-called shadow fleet vessels.
The government believes Russia’s oil revenues have dipped 27 per cent since October 2024.
Vessel tracking website MarineTraffic showed the vessel Smyrtos sailed under a Cameroon flag.
With Reuters.
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