British armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in Channel
Source: The Guardian
British armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, Keir Starmer has confirmed.
In a six-hour operation, the first of its kind to be led by the UK, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency boarded and took control of the vessel, Smyrtos, which was sailing under a Cameroonian flag.
According to the tracking website Marine Traffic, the vessel is now anchored off the coast of Dorset, near Weymouth. Authorities said it would be monitored for environmental or safety concerns.
British authorities say the Smyrtos is one of 700 vessels in a shadow fleet responsible for carrying 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil. The fleet provides Russia with what analysts say is a critical lifeline, allowing oil to be sold and funds generated to continue its war against Ukraine.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/14/british-forces-intercept-russian-shadow-fleet-vessel-english-channel
About time - they said they were ready to do this back in March.
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