Starmer: British Army stops Shadow Fleet tanker

He instructed the armed forces early this morning to intercept the ship, the head of government announced on the X platform. The successful operation dealt another blow to Russia and serves as a reminder to those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that they cannot hide.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, the ship is the nearly 244-meter-long oil tanker “Smyrtos,” which, according to the website Marinetraffic.com, flies the Cameroonian flag and is coming from a Russian port.

Six-hour operation against shadow fleet vessel

Navy forces and specially trained officers from the National Criminal Police boarded the ship, according to a statement from the British Ministry. The military operation lasted six hours. “The ship is now being held and monitored off the south coast while the investigation continues.”

According to the statement, the Prime Minister had approved in March that British armed forces and law enforcement agencies may board ships of the shadow fleet. The operation was carried out in close coordination with France. The ship is now being inspected for environmental and safety violations.

“Russia is financing its conflict in Ukraine with its shadow fleet, and our interception is a blow against Putin’s illegal war,” said Defense Minister Dan Jarvis, according to the statement.

Ships are being stopped and inspected with increasing frequency

Russia is attempting to circumvent the sanctions imposed by Western allies due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine using ships from the so-called shadow fleet. According to British sources, there are more than 700 such ships. The ships are frequently stopped and inspected. Two weeks ago, France inspected an oil tanker coming from Russia in the Atlantic—according to Paris, with support from the UK. At the time, the Kremlin criticized such actions as bordering on “international piracy.” Russia has been waging war against Ukraine for more than four years.