STORY
British armed forces have intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel in an operation involving military personnel and the National Crime Agency. The vessel, identified in reports as the Smyrtos, was boarded near the south coast as part of enforcement action linked to sanctions on Russia.
The Government said the operation was aimed at disrupting attempts to move Russian oil outside the sanctions regime. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the action, saying it was an important step in restricting revenue used to fund Russia’s war.
The National Crime Agency has said an Indian national was arrested on suspicion of sanctions offences. The incident comes amid wider debate in the UK about defence spending, support for Ukraine and the enforcement of sanctions against Russia.