British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel early on Sunday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced. The operation, involving Royal Marine commandos and the National Crime Agency, targeted the Smyrtos tanker carrying over 100,000 tonnes of Russian crude oil.
Starmer released a TikTok video showing heavily armed troops boarding the vessel south of the Isle of Wight. 'Another bad day to be Vladimir Putin,' he said, adding that he directed the mission to deliver 'yet another blow' to Russia. The Ministry of Defence said the six-hour operation had been months in the planning.
The Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroon flag that had been revoked, was legally stateless. Twenty-five crew members of various nationalities were detained without resistance. The tanker is now anchored off Dorset, near Weymouth, and will be monitored for environmental or safety concerns.
The shadow fleet, comprising around 700 vessels, carries 75% of Russia's oil exports, providing critical revenue for its war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Britain, urging Europe to enable confiscation of such oil to help bring peace closer.
