British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, in what Keir Starmer described as another blow to Russia. The operation also marked the first UK-led boarding of a sanctioned oil tanker of its kind.
The Ministry of Defence said Royal Marine commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the vessel Smyrtos during a six-hour operation. The tanker will now be provisionally moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England, where it will be monitored for environmental and safety concerns.
Operation Support
The boarding was backed by aircraft from the Maritime Air Group, including Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat helicopters, as well as an RAF P-8 aircraft. HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury also supported the mission, according to the MoD.
Starmer said the operation sends a message to those helping fund Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine that they cannot hide. He also praised the armed forces and law enforcement officers involved, saying they keep the country safe every day of the year.
Defence secretary Dan Jarvis said the operation required skill, professionalism and courage. He said Russia relies on its shadow fleet to fund the conflict in Ukraine, and that the interdiction delivers a blow to Putin’s illegal war.