&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Why did UK seize Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker? WION Decodes")
A Russian oil tanker was seized on Sunday (June 15) by British forces on suspicion of breaching sanctions. The tanker was transiting the English Channel. The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident a setback for Russia in funding its war in Ukraine. The British PM wrote on the social media platform X, “This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide."
After the raid, officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested an Indian national on suspicion of sanctions offences. This marks the first-ever UK-led operation in which British forces have boarded and detained a vessel from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”. It's the name of a network of hundreds of tankers that transport Russian oil.
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As per the vessel-tracking website MarineTraffic, the tanker, Smyrtos, was carrying 700,000 barrels of Russian oil. It was reported sailing under a Cameroonian flag departed the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga on June 5.
The Smyrtos is recorded as being owned by a Hong Kong-registered company, Zhao Yao Shipping Ltd. The NCA said 24 Georgian and Indian crew members remained aboard the vessel, which is now anchored off the Dorset coast. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the UK in a post on X for “taking this important step against Russia’s oil fleet”. Meanwhile, Russia has not publicly commented on the incident.
What is special about ‘shadow-fleet’ tankers?
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Like other Western nations, the UK has also barred tankers that are linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” from entering its ports. The transition of oil via these tankers is the primary revenue source for Russia amid the war with Ukraine.
As per analysts, the seizure of the tanker is not likely to disrupt the Russian oil exports overall. But it could increase the cost as well as force some vessels to take longer routes to avoid scrutiny.
