The British Prime Minister said that the British Armed Forces intercepted a Russian “Shadow Fleet” oil tanker for the first time. Keir Starmer and Ministry of Defense of the country. The tanker was trying to pass through the English Channel.
The operation to detain the tanker, with the participation of the Air Force, continued for six hours. In the early hours of 14 June, British forces, including Royal Marines, boarded the Cameroonian-flagged tanker Smertos.
The tanker was transferred to anchorage in the English Channel off the southern coast of England. The British Ministry of Defense said it will be monitored for any environmental problems or security threats.
“This successful operation deals another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them escape,” Starmer said.
Oil tankers belonging to the “Shadow Fleet” transport Russian oil, bypassing Western sanctions. European countries have repeatedly detained such ships, but in most cases they were released after inspections.
In early June, the French Navy seized another oil tanker, Tagor, in the Atlantic Ocean, linked to the Russian “shadow fleet.” The tanker is subject to international sanctions.