UK forces intercept Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in the English Channel

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 10:00pm

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 10:00pm

In short:

British forces have intercepted a suspected Russian "shadow fleet" oil tanker in the English Channel.

The UK Defence Ministry called the operation "the first UK-led operation of its kind," while Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was "another blow to Russia."

What's next?

The tanker will be detained and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue.

British armed forces have intercepted a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the English Channel, leading for the first time an operation to disrupt the oil revenue ​that helps fund Russia's war in Ukraine.

British Prime Sir Minister Keir Starmer said the tanker is being investigated by officials, who suspect it is part of a Russian "shadow fleet".

The UK government previously said the shadow fleet transports oil to evade international sanctions placed on Russian exports to cut off funding for the war in Ukraine.

The vessel Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroon flag, was boarded by British forces in the early hours on Sunday, in what the country's Defence Ministry called "the first UK-led operation of its kind."

"This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling Putin's war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X.

Video of the raid released by the government showed British commandos rappelling onto the vessel, while National Crime Agency (NCA) officials were seen searching through documentation.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X that he was grateful to Britain for the tanker's detention.

Kyiv has been lobbying its allies to toughen enforcement against the shadow fleet.

"Europe urgently needs to take legislative steps to enable not only the detention of tankers and restrictions on oil shipments, but also the confiscation of the oil they carry. This will certainly help bring peace closer," Mr Zelenskyy said on X.

Russia has not commented on the events.

The tanker will be detained and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue, a government statement said, adding that the operation was conducted in close coordination with the French.

It comes as Sir Keir, who is facing a potential leadership challenge and lost his defence secretary last week over a dispute about military spending, had in March given permission for the British military to board and detain Russian ships.

Several member states of the European Union have also said shadow fleets help Moscow export oil despite Western sanctions.

Until Sunday, Britain's involvement in efforts to stop the vessels had been limited to supporting French and US operations.

Reuters/AP