Britain stopped a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the English Channel for the first time. The six-hour action is intended to weaken Moscow’s financial resources for the war.
On Sunday, British troops intercepted a tanker from the so-called of the Russian shadow fleet, announced Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a post on the X network. The Sky News station reports that this is the first such incident, writes TASR.
“In the early hours of this morning I ordered armed forces to intercept a Shadow Fleet oil tanker attempting to transit the English Channel,” Starmer wrote.
Successful operation
“This successful operation dealt another blow to Russia and reminds those who support (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not allow them to hide,” the Prime Minister stated.
The British Ministry of Defense said in its statement that members of the Royal Marines and the National Crime Agency boarded the Smyrtos vessel, Reuters reports.
Ongoing investigation
The vessel will be detained and monitored off the southern coast and investigations will continue. The department added that this British operation, which lasted six hours according to the BBC, was carried out in accordance with national and international law.
Moscow uses the shadow fleet to circumvent Western sanctions imposed on oil sales. According to the British Ministry of Defense, this fleet consists of more than 700 vessels and represents a “vital support” for the Kremlin.
The goal is to weaken Russia
“Russia relies on its shadow fleet to fund its conflict in Ukraine and our strikes represent a blow to Putin’s illegal war,” British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis said.
