UK seizes Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in English Channel

British forces have seized a sanctioned Russian-linked oil tanker as it transited the English Channel, the United Kingdom's first interdiction of a vessel from Moscow's so-called shadow fleet.

The Cameroon-flagged tanker Smyrtos, sanctioned last year by the UK over its role in shipping Russian oil, was boarded on June 14 by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers, supported by helicopters, a frigate and a minehunter. Officers later arrested an Indian national on suspicion of sanctions offences.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the operation as a significant setback to Russia's efforts to fund its war in Ukraine. It was the first seizure since the UK announced in March that its military had been authorised to intercept and board shadow-fleet ships.

The shadow fleet refers to ageing, often opaquely owned tankers used to move Russian oil while evading Western sanctions and price caps. The UK has sanctioned more than 500 vessels linked to the fleet.

Those measures, alongside wider Western sanctions, contributed to a 24 percent fall in Russian oil and gas revenues in 2025 compared with the previous year. The seizure signals a more assertive approach as European states seek to tighten enforcement against sanctions-evading shipping.