The UK government has authorised armed forces and law enforcement to board Russian oil tankers in British waters, escalating action against Moscow's shadow fleet that evades sanctions. Prime Minister Keir Starmer approved the move to target vessels using false flags or opaque ownership to export Russian crude oil, Downing Street confirmed.
The Royal Navy has previously assisted allies in tracking sanctioned tankers, such as a recent operation in the Mediterranean where a Russian oil tanker was boarded by the French navy. The new rules apply only to vessels sanctioned by the UK, among over 600 targeted by the EU, UK, and US.
Starmer is set to attend the Joint Expeditionary Force Summit in Helsinki on Thursday, a UK-led maritime security alliance of 10 NATO members, to discuss further measures against the shadow fleet. Other members like Finland, Sweden, and Estonia have already conducted operations against suspected vessels in the Baltic Sea.
Russia has warned that direct action could lead to conflict. Nikolai Patrushev, a senior Russian official, called for the navy to protect Russian-linked ships from what he termed "western piracy." Defence Secretary John Healey previously suggested military options, including seizing oil and sending proceeds to Ukraine.
In January, 23 shadow fleet ships with false flags were spotted in the Channel or Baltic Sea, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. The UK supported US forces in seizing the tanker Bella 1, later renamed Marinera, in the Atlantic. Following that, ministers ordered plans for similar UK operations, with any boarding subject to review by law enforcement, military, and energy experts before ministerial approval.
