The UK Armed Forces seized an oil tanker belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet”—a fleet of commercial vessels sailing under third-country flags to evade sanctions—in the English Channel on Sunday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the development.
Royal Marine commandos and officials from the National Crime Agency carried out a six-hour operation to seize the tanker. The vessel, named Smirtos, was flying the flag of Cameroon. This marks the first time the UK has led such an operation against a Russian oil tanker.
The operation began in the early hours of the morning (local time). Previously, the UK had assisted the French military during a similar operation in the Atlantic.
According to data from the tracking website MarineTraffic, the ship is currently anchored near the coastal town of Weymouth, off the Dorset coast.
British authorities stated that they would first assess whether the operation raised any environmental or safety concerns regarding the tanker.
The term “shadow fleet” refers to a fleet of commercial vessels sailing under third-country flags that are used to secretly transport Russian oil to the global market while evading international sanctions.
British authorities noted that there are over 700 oil tankers like the Smirtos transporting Russian oil. This “shadow fleet” carries approximately 75 percent of Russia’s sanctioned oil.
Analysts believe this fleet plays a crucial role for Russia; the “shadow fleet” enables Russia to sell oil and helps generate funds to sustain the war against Ukraine.
The head of the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) stated that Russia is targeting the UK’s infrastructure and democracy.
In a post on the social media platform X, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had ordered the armed forces to intercept the oil tanker as it attempted to enter the English Channel. The Prime Minister further wrote, “This successful operation is another major blow to Russia. It serves as a reminder to those funding Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide. I want to thank everyone involved in this operation—especially our armed forces and law enforcement personnel who keep this country safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
The UK Ministry of Defence stated that aircraft from the Maritime Air Group supported this military operation. Additionally, a Royal Air Force P-8 aircraft and the warships HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury participated in the mission.
The UK Ministry of Defence noted that the UK is playing a leading role in tackling the “shadow fleet” and has already imposed sanctions on more than 500 vessels. As a result, Russia’s revenue from oil and gas in 2025 has fallen by 24 percent compared to the previous year.
Last March, Starmer announced, “British armed forces are now capable of boarding and searching sanctioned vessels passing through our waters.”
