UK board and seize Russian shadow fleet tanker in English Channel | Story

The UK Ministry of Defense said it was intercepting the Smyrtos vessel in a six-hour operation.

British troops have boarded and seized a Russian oil tanker trying to cross the English Channel, Prime Minister Keir Starmer says.

“This successful operation presents yet another challenge to Russia and reminds those behind (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not allow them to hide,” Starmer said in a tweet on Sunday.

The Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom also confirmed that on Sunday the seizure of the Smyrtos vessel.

“Operations like this require skill, expertise and courage. I pay tribute to our military and all involved,” Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis said in a statement.

“Russia relies on its ships to support its wars in Ukraine and our sanctions will destroy Putin’s illegal war.”

The operation took six hours, the ministry said, adding that the ship “will be moved slowly near the South Coast of England and monitored for environmental or safety reasons”.

Last month, a French army supported by the UK he jumped the fuel tank they are believed to be part of a cruise ship and are falsely sailing under the Cameroonian flag, French authorities said.

In January, French forces also seized the Russian submarine Grinch. In March, Deyna, who left Murmansk under the Mozambican flag, was arrested in Marseille.

Oil revenues are a key part of Russia’s economy and help offset the cost of the four-year war in Ukraine.

Russia is believed to be using hundreds of ships to evade sanctions imposed by other countries as a result of the war. The UK and other countries have pledged to end “shadow driving” sanctions.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, Britain has imposed sanctions on more than 500 vessels so far, and these are affected by the amount of oil and gas in Russia falling by 24 percent in 2025 compared to last year.

Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russian ships for a full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022.

Putin has condemned the seizure of Russian-linked ships as “piracy”.