Britain has taken its toughest step yet against what is known as the Russian shadow fleet. In the early hours of Sunday, British armed forces detained the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel. According to the British Ministry of Defence, the tanker is linked to the transportation of Russian oil and the circumvention of sanctions. The British government has reported on the operation.

Royal Marines commandos, along with specially trained officers from the British National Crime Agency, boarded the vessel, which was flying the flag of Cameroon. The operation lasted approximately six hours, and according to London, it was supported by, among other things, a P-8 patrol aircraft, other aircraft, the frigate HMS Sutherland, and the minehunter HMS Ledbury. The tanker is to be moved to the south coast of England, where it will be further monitored due to security and environmental risks.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the action as another blow to those who, in his opinion, are helping to finance the war of Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. Defence Minister Dan Jarvis stated that Russia relies on the shadow fleet to finance the conflict, and that the British action is intended to weaken this source of revenue. According to AP, Starmer emphasized that the operation was also coordinated with France.

The significance of the action lies mainly in the fact that it is the first British detention of a vessel linked to the Russian shadow fleet since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Similar steps have previously been taken by France, Estonia, and Finland. London decided to take a tougher stance after, in March, it allowed the British armed forces to board sanctioned vessels transiting British waters.

The shadow fleet refers to a network of older tankers with opaque ownership, frequent flag changes, and problematic insurance. Russia began to use it more extensively after the G7 imposed a price cap on Russian oil in 2022. According to Western sources, this fleet helps Moscow to continue exporting oil and raising money despite the sanctions. The EU and Britain have already placed hundreds of such vessels on the sanctions list.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Britain for the action and called on European countries to adopt even stricter legislation. According to him, Europe should not only detain suspicious tankers, but should also have the ability to seize their oil cargo. Sunday's operation may be a signal that the West is moving from sanctions lists to stricter enforcement of rules directly at sea.

gnews.cz - GH