The Boarding
In the early hours of Sunday, June 14, Royal Marine commandos from 42 Commando fast-roped from RAF Chinook and Merlin helicopters onto the 244-metre oil tanker MV Smyrtos as it transited the English Channel. Alongside them came officers from the National Crime Agency. Six hours later, the vessel — loaded with 101,400 tonnes of Russian crude oil — was under British control and heading for anchorage off Portland. The captain, a 38-year-old Indian national, was in handcuffs. It was the first time the United Kingdom had seized a Russian shadow fleet vessel.
The operation was textbook maritime interdiction. An RAF P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft tracked the Smyrtos as she entered the western approaches of the English Channel. HMS Sutherland, a Type 23 frigate, and HMS Ledbury, a mine countermeasures vessel, closed in. Then the helicopters launched.
Starmer’s Message to Moscow
The seizure was choreographed to land the morning before the G7 summit opened in France. It was an introduction to the job measured in days for Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, who had replaced John Healey just three days earlier after Healey resigned over defence spending. Jarvis — a former Parachute Regiment officer — framed the operation as a blow to Russia and its illegal war in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also weighed in, framing the seizure in personal terms. “I directed our Armed Forces to intercept a shadow fleet oil tanker attempting to pass through the English Channel,” he said. “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.”
The Shadow Fleet Problem
The Smyrtos is just one vessel in a larger network of ships used to circumvent international sanctions against Russia. The United Kingdom has been tracking the shadow fleet for months, working with European partners to disrupt its operations.
The seizure highlights the UK’s commitment to enforcing sanctions and supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. It also underscores the need for continued cooperation between nations to combat the shadow fleet’s activities.
In the coming days, the Smyrtos will be taken to a port where investigators can examine its documents and cargo. The captain will face charges related to sanctions offences. The operation marks a significant milestone in the UK’s efforts to disrupt Russia’s illegal activities and support Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Original Article: Royal Navy Seizes Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in English Channel — Migflug