On April 8, the tankers Universal and Enigma passed through the English Channel, accompanied by the Russian Navy frigate Admiral Grigorovich. This was reported by The Telegraph.
According to journalists, the Russian authorities publicly ignored British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s threat to seize oil tankers belonging to the “Shadow Fleet” in UK waters.
London’s ability to accomplish such a mission has been repeatedly questioned by experts and politicians, including US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Moscow reacted harshly to London’s plans. The Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrei Kelin, warned the British authorities against attempts to seize the ships by force or law, stressing that Moscow had already prepared retaliatory measures.
According to the diplomat, London’s actions regarding Russian property will be a “surprise” for the British people, and the Russian authorities consider all Western sanctions illegal.
The head of the Belgian Ministry of Defense, Theo Franken, announced in early March the interception of a tanker allegedly belonging to the Russian Shadow Fleet. He explained that the process of seizing the ship was called “Blue Intruder.”