Moskow, Sketsa.id – British forces intercepted and seized the Smyrtos, an oil tanker belonging to Russia’s sanctioned shadow fleet, in the English Channel on Sunday (14/6/2026). The six-hour operation involved Royal Navy Commandos boarding the target vessel using fast ropes from helicopters under the cover of darkness. The operation was supported by Chinook, Merlin Mk4, and Wildcat helicopters, as well as maritime patrol aircraft. Frigates HMS Sutherland and minesweeper HMS Ledbury were also deployed.
The UK Ministry of Defense stated that the Smyrtos was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency.
“Russia has gone to great lengths to evade sanctions and continues to fuel its barbaric war with Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement. The tanker will now be moved to an anchorage off the southern English coast for monitoring. Newly appointed UK Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis said the operation was carried out in close coordination with France.
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Moscow condemned the move. Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of using the seizure to distract the public from domestic crises.
“The desperate Starmer, instead of intercepting his own immigrants who rape, mutilate, and behead British people, is trying to distract Britain through escalation,” Dmitriev wrote on X, as reported by Russia Today on Monday (15/6/2026). Britain has faced heightened tensions over immigration following a series of high-profile attacks and murder cases involving migrants in recent years.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga welcomed the operation. “Russia’s shadow fleet is an instrument of war. Every such vessel stopped means less funding for Russia’s war machine,” he wrote on social media.
“Cutting this revenue helps reduce Russia’s ability to finance missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the operation delivers another blow to Russia. The UK has sanctioned hundreds of vessels believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. (cc)
