British forces intercept Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel

LONDON - British armed forces intercepted a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel on Sunday, leading for the first time an operation to disrupt the oil revenues ​that help fund Russia's war in Ukraine.

The vessel Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroon flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officials in the early hours on Sunday, with support from Chinook helicopters and other aircraft, a frigate and a minehunter.

"This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling Putin's war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X.

The tanker will be detained and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue, a government statement said after the operation, which was conducted in close coordination with the French.

Starmer, who is facing a potential leadership challenge and lost his defence secretary last week over a dispute about military spending, had in March given permission for the British military to board and detain Russian ships which Western governments say help Moscow export oil despite Western sanctions.

The prime minister's change of stance did not immediately have any impact on the number of Russian vessels under sanctions passing through UK waters, according to a Reuters analysis which showed a similar number transited its waters before and after the announcement.

Until Sunday, Britain's involvement in efforts to stop the vessels had been limited to supporting French and U.S. operations.

(Reporting by Kate Holton in London and Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 1:53 AM.