Britain seizes Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in English Channel

British forces seized the Russian oil tanker Smyrtos on
Sunday as it attempted to transit the English Channel, in what Prime Minister
Keir Starmer described as part of efforts to disrupt Moscow's ability to
finance its war in Ukraine.
The operation lasted six hours and
was confirmed by Starmer and the British Ministry of Defence, says Al Jazeera.
The vessel was being moved to an
anchorage off England's south coast, where authorities will monitor it for
safety and environmental concerns, the ministry said.
Starmer said the seizure dealt a blow to those "fuelling Putin's war in
Ukraine", adding that Russia relied on so-called shadow fleet vessels to
evade international sanctions and generate revenue for its military operations.
Western governments have increasingly
targeted Russia's shadow fleet, a network of ageing tankers used to transport
oil outside sanctions frameworks imposed after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The seizure of the Smyrtos is the
latest in a series of actions against suspected sanctions-busting vessels.
Authorities impounded the tanker Grinch in January, detained the Deyna in
Marseille in March and, together with France, intercepted another suspected
tanker last month.
Britain has sanctioned more than
500 vessels linked to Russia's oil trade, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The ministry said those measures contributed to a 24% decline in Russia's oil
and gas revenues in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
has condemned the seizure of such vessels, describing the actions as
"piracy".
The Kremlin did not immediately
comment on the seizure of the Smyrtos.
















