UK Says Army Intercepted Russian Shadow Fleet Oil Tanker Amid Ukraine War
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he had directed armed forces to intercept a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker attempting to pass through the English Channel. The vessel, Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroon flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency.
The operation, which delivered yet another blow to Russia, reminded those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that the UK will not let them hide. Starmer thanked those involved, including the Armed Forces and law enforcement officers who keep the country safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
International Responses to Smyrtos‘ Seizure
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X that he was grateful to Britain for the tanker’s detention. Kyiv has been lobbying its allies to toughen enforcement against the shadow fleet, which it says funds Russia’s war machine. Zelenskiy emphasized the need for Europe to take legislative steps to enable not only the detention of tankers and restrictions on oil shipments but also the confiscation of the oil they carry.
The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, this successful operation has sparked international reactions, with Ukraine’s president calling it a crucial step towards bringing peace closer.
Previous Interceptions of Sanctioned Russian Ships
Until Sunday, Britain’s involvement in efforts to stop the vessels had been limited to supporting French and U.S. operations. A shadow fleet is a covert network of older vessels used to transport sanctioned or high-risk commodities from countries such as Russia and Iran. Ships in a shadow fleet often turn off their transponders or broadcast false geo-location codes, and fly false and often obscure flags, so as to hide their true ownership, origin, location, and destination.
Earlier this month, the French navy intercepted a sanctioned tanker linked with the Russian oil trade in the Atlantic Ocean, in a move that Russia said bordered on “international piracy.” The tanker, which had sailed from Russia’s Arctic port of Murmansk, was suspected of flying under a false flag and was intercepted with support from Britain. According to the vessel tracker MarineTraffic, the 252-meter-long tanker was sailing under the flag of Madagascar.
This incident highlights the ongoing efforts by Western governments to disrupt Russia’s ability to export oil despite international sanctions. The UK’s seizure of the Smyrtos serves as a reminder that the country will not tolerate attempts to circumvent these sanctions and fuel Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Original Article: UK says army intercepted Russian shadow fleet oil tanker amid Ukraine war — Jpost