By Admin 
Britain has intercepted a banned oil tanker in the English Channel river, carrying out a major military and security operation against Russia’s so-called Shadow Fleet. Giving information about this action on Sunday, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer said that this step is an important effort towards economically weakening Russia’s war machine.
According to the British Defense Ministry, this operation started in the early hours of Sunday (14 June 2026) and lasted for about six hours. During this time, British Armed Forces, Royal Marine Commando and special officers of the National Crime Agency boarded the oil tanker Smyrtos and took it under their control. The British Air Force (RAF) also played an important role in this operation and coordinated with the security agencies throughout the operation.
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What did the British Defense Ministry tell?
Britain’s Defense Ministry said that at present this tanker has been kept under surveillance near the southern coast of England. The investigation into the case is ongoing and officials are examining the activities of the ship as well as the documents related to its ownership so that complete information can be gathered about its operations and network. Prime Minister Kier Starmer called this action a major blow to Russia. He said that those who are funding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to continue the war in Ukraine should get a clear message that Britain will not give them the opportunity to hide or escape.
Statement by British Defense Minister Dan Jarvis
British Defense Minister Dan Jarvis also said that Russia funds the Ukraine war through its Shadow Fleet and this action is directly aimed at weakening Putin’s war efforts. In fact, after the sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries, Moscow created a network of hundreds of oil tankers, which is called Shadow Fleet. The ownership of these ships is often unclear and they are used to transport Russian oil to various countries and markets while avoiding international sanctions.
How many ships are included in the Shadow Fleet?
According to the British Defense Ministry, about 75 percent of Russia’s banned oil reaches different markets of the world through this shadow fleet. It is said that this network includes more than 700 ships, which remain an important economic support for Russia and help in generating income through oil export. Britain has so far banned more than 500 ships connected to this network. Under these restrictions such ships cannot enter British ports. Apart from this, British companies and citizens are also not allowed to provide facilities like financial services, insurance or brokerage for these ships.
Britain and France are working together
According to a BBC report, the British Defense Ministry said that this entire operation was conducted in close coordination with France. In recent months, Britain and France have been working together to increase pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet. The British government says its aim is to reduce Russia’s oil income and to stop financial aid for the Ukraine war.
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