Britain seizes Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in English Channel
The operation lasted six hours and was confirmed by Starmer and the British Ministry of Defence
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.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
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.
