UK seizes Russian shadow‑fleet tanker amid Putin threat
The UK government defended its decision to take a Russian “shadow‑fleet” oil tanker, the MT Smyrtos, from a mooring off Weymouth after a Royal Marine commando raid in June. The tanker was anchored in the English Channel when UK forces boarded the vessel; the captain, Ajay Pant, has been charged with breaching Russian sanctions for the alleged delivery of prohibited Russian oil.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, speaking while reviewing naval drills in the Pacific, denounced Western seizure of Russian vessels as “piracy” and threatened that any future actions would prompt a retaliatory response. He warned, “If these plans are put into practice, we will have to respond in kind…anywhere we deem necessary.”
The UK Ministry of Defence reports that Russia operates a fleet of over 700 ships that funnel about 75 % of its sanctioned oil through a web of complex ownership and insurance structures, masking the cargo’s Russian origin. The tanker’s seizure, the UK says, disrupts the Kremlin’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.
European Union authorities have increased pressure on the shadow fleet, sanctioning individual vessels — the so‑called “Putin’s dark fleet” — and banning more than 630 ships from EU ports. Recent EU‑led operations, including an Italian navy boarding of a suspected non‑flag‑compliant tanker in the Mediterranean, demonstrate the bloc’s commitment to enforcing sanctions.
While the UK has justified its raid as legal, Russian naval commander Viktor Liina accused Britain and France of running their own shadow fleets. UK officials retorted that British vessels operate within the bounds of international maritime law and are engaged in “disrupting and deterring” illicit shipping.
The SMYRTOS remains under UK detention near Weymouth; most of its 25 crew members were repatriated in July, while the vessel’s owner continues to bear responsibility for the ship’s maintenance and supplies.
For a closer look at the operation, watch the Ministry of Defence’s footage of Royal Marine commandos boarding and searching the tanker.
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