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British armed forces have intercepted a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the English Channel in a coordinated early morning operation ordered as part of ongoing sanctions enforcement linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The operation, which lasted around six hours on Sunday, involved Royal Marine Commandos, officers from the National Crime Agency, and support from the Royal Air Force. The vessel, identified as Smyrtos, was boarded at sea and has since been held and placed under monitoring off the south coast of England while investigations continue, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the action as a direct message to those facilitating Russia’s oil exports.
“This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide,” he said.
The tanker is part of what Western governments describe as Russia’s “shadow fleet”, a network of more than 700 vessels allegedly used to bypass international sanctions on oil exports. The Ministry of Defence stated that this fleet is responsible for transporting around 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil, providing a crucial revenue stream for Moscow despite restrictions.
The Ministry of Defence also noted that more than 500 vessels linked to Russian oil transport have been sanctioned, with restrictions preventing them from accessing UK ports and cutting off access to British insurance, financial, and brokerage services.
Sunday’s boarding operation was supported by maritime patrol aircraft from the RAF Maritime Air Group, including a P-8 aircraft, alongside naval assets such as HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury.
The MoD added that the operation was conducted in close coordination with French authorities, reflecting broader allied efforts to tighten enforcement against sanctioned maritime activity and “choke off funding for Russia’s war machine.”
