Britain stops Russian oil tanker in English Channel

British forces intercepted an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" in the English Channel on Sunday. The Royal Navy and the National Crime Agency boarded the vessel, named Smyrtos, as it attempted to transit the channel.

The Ministry of Defence stated that the tanker would be taken to the southern English coast for monitoring. Russia utilizes these "shadow fleet" vessels to bypass international sanctions imposed on its oil exports. These sanctions prevent European companies from offering services like insurance and restrict access to EU ports for such ships.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared on social media platform X that the successful operation represented "another blow to Russia." This incident follows a similar interception by the French navy of a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea in March.

The British operation was conducted in cooperation with France, according to the Ministry of Defence, as reported by the BBC. The interception highlights ongoing efforts by Western nations to enforce sanctions against Russia's energy sector.

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This successful operation is another blow to Russia.