British armed forces have intercepted a ship linked to the so-called Russian “shadow fleet“ in the English Channel. This was announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, quoted by PA Media and DPA, reports BTA.
The UK Ministry of Defense specified that commandos from the Royal Marines and specially trained officers from the National Crime Agency carried out an inspection of a sanctioned oil tanker in a six-hour operation. According to the department, this is the first such operation led by Britain.
The tanker “Smirtos“ will be temporarily relocated to a specially secured area off the south coast of England, where it will be monitored for potential safety and environmental risks.
The operation also involved aircraft from the Naval Aviation Group, including Chinook, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat helicopters, a Royal Air Force P-8 aircraft, and the warships HMS Sutherland and HMS and HMS Ledbury.
In a statement, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the operation was a new blow to Russia and a clear message to all those supporting President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine that they would not be left out of the reach of British authorities.
He expressed gratitude to those involved in the operation, including military and law enforcement personnel, who he said were working around the clock to keep the country safe.
Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis said such operations required a high level of professionalism, skill and courage.
He said Russia relied on its "shadow fleet" to fund the war in Ukraine, and the current operation was a blow to the Kremlin's ability to sustain that aggression.