The captain of a Russian shadow fleet vessel intercepted by British troops has been charged with breaching sanctions, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has announced.
Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, has been charged with contravening Section 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 by allegedly directly or indirectly supplying or delivering prohibited oil or oil products by ship from Russia to a third country during June 2026, the NCA confirmed on Monday.
Royal Marine commandos and NCA officers seized the tanker Smyrtos in the Channel early on Sunday, marking the first UK-led operation to capture a sanctioned vessel.
Earlier on Monday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander issued a formal order preventing the ship from departing UK waters.
Pant is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The 24 crew members, from Georgia and India, remain aboard the vessel, which is currently anchored off Weymouth in Dorset.
Under part nine of the 2019 regulations, anyone convicted of a trade offence such as that alleged against Pant could face up to 10 years behind bars, a fine, or both.
In his first statement as Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis said the UK's interdiction of the vessel "deals another blow to Putin".
He told MPs: "We do not seek escalation, but we will always take the necessary steps to enforce UK sanctions. The UK has sanctioned over 550 Russian shadow fleet vessels, this has had a material impact. Nearly 200 have been forced to anchor because of the action of the UK and our partners, and yesterday's operation sends a clear signal to Russia that the UK and its allies can and will act against the Russian war machine."
He was flanked on the frontbench by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, whom he described as "someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support".
