Zelenskyy and Sybiha commented on Britain’s detention of a tanker belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet”
15.06.2026 - 11:07
The President of Ukraine and the Foreign Minister commented on the detention of a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker by Great Britain.
In an evening address on June 14, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Britain for the detention of the vessel.
“Today, we also have something to thank, especially Britain: the British detained a Russian oil tanker off their shores, and this is the first such step by the British,” he commented.
The President noted that this year in European seas “it has become a good tradition to detain the Russian shadow fleet.”
“Oil must stop so that the Russian war comes closer to stopping. Thank you to Britain,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President also added that negotiations with European partners are planned this week on legislative changes that “finally allow for the longer detention of tankers that earn money for the war for Putin, exclusively for him, and to confiscate this oil.”
Earlier on June 14, the head of the British Foreign Office, Yvette Cooper, reported the detention of one of the sanctioned vessels in the English Channel.
“Last night, our armed forces intercepted one of the Russian sanctions vessels in the English Channel as part of the UK’s work to stop the proceeds that fund missiles, drones and the constant bombing of Ukrainian cities. These illegal vessels exist to transport sanctioned Russian oil and gas around the world to ensure that money flows to Putin’s war machine. We are taking action against this illegal activity in our waters. We thank our armed forces and the NCA for their work in intercepting this vessel,” she wrote on the social network X.
In turn, Cooper’s Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiha, responded: “Thank you”
Yvette Cooper, for the leadership and decisive action of the UK. Russia’s shadow fleet is an instrument of war. Every such vessel that is stopped means less money for the Russian war machine. The cessation of this revenue helps reduce Russia’s ability to fund missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.”
USM previously reported that the “shadow fleet” tankers began avoiding the English Channel after the vessel was detained by Britain.
