Britain may sell oil from seized tanker Smyrtos to Ukraine
25.06.2026 - 13:32
On board were found 98 thousand tons of Ural oil with a market value of about £ 35 million – British officials consider the cargo to be legally the property of the United Kingdom.
The British government is considering the possibility of selling Russian oil removed from the tanker Smyrtos, and the proceeds to be directed to the needs of Ukraine. This is reported by The Telegraph.
On board the ship were found 98 thousand tons of Ural oil with a market value of about £ 35 million. British officials believe that the cargo legally belongs to the United Kingdom.
Among the options for using the funds are direct financing of Ukraine’s defense needs or the purchase of equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oil processing in the United Kingdom itself is also being considered, but no final decision has yet been made.
The tanker Smyrtos was stopped by the Royal Marines on June 14. The ship is currently under the control of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom off the coast of Weymouth. The captain, 38-year-old Indian citizen Ajay Pant, has been charged with evading sanctions.
During the hearing, his lawyers said he was “simply following orders” and had no control over the cargo or the route. The hearing in the case is scheduled for July 16. According to sources in Whitehall, after the investigation is completed, the ship will likely be released to Russia.
The incident with the Smyrtos in London is called only the beginning of the intensified fight against the “shadow fleet”. According to analysts, it has more than 1,000 tankers, many of which are in poor technical condition. Some are accompanied by Russian warships, which makes it difficult for British forces to intercept the vessels.
