Britain plans to create a headquarters to control and intercept Russian “shadow fleet” vessels

The UK is planning to set up a headquarters to monitor and intercept Russian “shadow fleet” vessels.

The Times has reported.

According to the publication’s sources, the military will gather intelligence, monitor vessels helping Russia evade Western sanctions and possibly intercept them at sea at a special command centre.

The headquarters will initially be set up at the HMS Calliope training centre in Gateshead, England. It is currently used by the Royal Navy Reserve. The centre is planned to be equipped as a full-fledged military base. From there, remotely controlled boats will be able to patrol the waters of the North Sea and the English Channel at a distance of up to 800 km.

These boats will monitor Russian tankers and vessels under false flags or names, and will also collect intelligence on the movements of the “shadow fleet”.

According to the Sunday Times, one of the biggest challenges in seizing ships carrying illegal cargo is the cost of maintaining them over time.

USM previously reported that the UK is preparing to seize Russian-linked tankers from the “shadow fleet.”