Britain allowed the military to detain Russian “shadow fleet” ships in its waters

The British government has given its military and law enforcement authorities the authority to intercept sanctioned vessels passing through British waters.

The UK has allowed its military to board and detain vessels of the Russian “shadow fleet” that transit through its territorial waters. This was reported in the press service of the British government.

The new powers apply to vessels that are under UK sanctions. They can be intercepted, searched and detained, and criminal proceedings initiated against their owners, operators and crews.

London emphasizes that this step is part of a wider campaign to limit Russia’s oil export revenues, which are used to finance the war in Ukraine.

“We live in an increasingly unstable world … Putin is trying to take advantage of the rise in oil prices, but we are even more actively pursuing his shadow fleet,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

The decision also means that British waters, including the English Channel, are effectively closed to vessels subject to sanctions. This will force operators to either choose longer and more expensive routes or risk being detained.

In recent weeks, the Royal Navy has already been involved in monitoring and tracking the “shadow fleet” vessels, together with allies. In particular, the countries of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) – Finland, Sweden and Estonia – have carried out operations against suspicious vessels in the Baltic Sea.

According to estimates by the British government, around 75% of Russian crude oil exports are carried out by the “shadow fleet”, which consists mainly of old ships and is used to circumvent sanctions. In total, the UK, together with partners, has already imposed sanctions on more than 500 vessels linked to this scheme.

Meanwhile, as USM wrote, the day before yesterday, an unknown drone attacked a tanker of the Russian “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea.