The UK government has responded to the seizure of the Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel after Vladimir Putin threatened the West with “retaliatory measures.” The BBC reported the development.
The Smyrtos was escorted to an anchorage near Weymouth after British Royal Marines intercepted the vessel in June and boarded it in one of the UK’s first such operations against a sanctioned tanker.
The ship’s captain, Ajay Pant, was accused of violating sanctions against Russia by allegedly being directly or indirectly involved in the transportation of prohibited Russian oil.
Putin, who was overseeing Russian naval exercises in the Pacific, criticized Western countries over the “seizure” of Russian vessels, describing such actions as “piracy and banditry.” He also threatened retaliation, saying Moscow could take action wherever it considered necessary.
Russian Pacific Fleet Commander Viktor Liina likewise accused Britain and France of allegedly operating their own “shadow fleets.”
In response, the British government said its armed forces and law-enforcement personnel boarded the Smyrtos “in full compliance with international law.”
London stressed that the UK is taking action against the “shadow fleet” and what it describes as harmful maritime activity that helps Russia finance its war against Ukraine. The government also emphasized that British military and commercial vessels operate in accordance with international maritime law.
Russia uses its “shadow fleet” to circumvent international sanctions and restrictions on oil exports. According to the UK’s Ministry of Defence, the fleet consists of more than 700 vessels responsible for transporting around 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil. London considers these revenues a crucial source of funding for the Kremlin’s war effort.
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