United Kingdom has defended its seizure of a Russian-linked oil tanker in the English Channel after President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could retaliate against Western countries over the growing campaign to disrupt Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
The confrontation follows the Royal Marines’ interception and boarding of the Smyrtos. The tanker has since remained under detention near Weymouth in southern England as British officials investigate alleged breaches of sanctions on Russian oil.
The operation has now become the centre of a broader dispute between Moscow and Western governments over the enforcement of sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Putin, speaking while overseeing Russian naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean, condemned the seizure of Russian-linked vessels and accused Western countries of engaging in illegal maritime actions.
“If these plans are put into practice, we will have to respond in kind. And not necessarily in the waters where raids on our ships and vessels are planned, but wherever we deem it necessary and appropriate, anywhere.”
Vladimir Putin
Britain, however, has rejected Russia’s characterisation of the operation as piracy, insisting that its forces acted within international law.
In response to Putin’s comments, UK government spokesperson stated that Britain’s Armed Forces and law-enforcement personnel boarded the Smyrtos “in full accordance with international law.”
“The UK is disrupting and deterring shadow fleet vessels and their harmful maritime activity which is fuelling Russia’s war with Ukraine. UK armed forces and commercial vessels operate firmly in line with international maritime law.”
UK Government Spokesperson
According to UK Ministry of Defence, Russia operates a fleet of more than 700 vessels that collectively transport about 75% of the country’s sanctioned oil. British officials describe the revenues generated through these shipments as a “critical lifeline for the Kremlin” in sustaining Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Western governments allege that many of the vessels use complex corporate ownership structures, obscure insurance arrangements and other tactics to conceal their links to Russia and disguise the origin of their cargoes.
The vessels have become increasingly important to Moscow since the introduction of Western restrictions on Russian energy exports following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Rather than abandoning the international oil market, Russia has increasingly relied on alternative shipping networks to move crude and petroleum products to buyers willing to purchase them.
The Smyrtos is now one of the most prominent examples of the increasingly aggressive enforcement campaign.
Its captain, Ajay Pant, has been charged with breaching Russian sanctions and is accused of directly or indirectly supplying or delivering prohibited Russian oil.
The vessel remains detained by Britain’s Department for Transport at a port near Weymouth, where it is being monitored by British authorities. Responsibility for maintaining the tanker remains with its owner, including providing supplies for the remaining crew.
European Shadow Fleet Crackdown Opens New Front With Russia
Putin’s warning came as Russia seeks to challenge what it regards as an increasingly coordinated Western attempt to restrict its maritime trade.
During his remarks to Russian sailors, the Russian President specifically criticised European Union countries, accusing them of violating international maritime law and attempting to restrict the movement of vessels connected to Russian economic interests.
Viktor Liina, Commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, also accused Western countries, including Britain and France, of operating their own shadow fleets.
“We have the capacity to inspect and detain vessels of unfriendly states and their shadow fleets, and interagency cooperation is in place, ready to begin addressing these challenges.”
Viktor Liina
Meanwhile, United Kingdom’s seizure of the Smyrtos form part of a wider European campaign. The European Union began sanctioning individual shadow-fleet vessels in 2024 as member states sought to prevent Russia from circumventing restrictions on its oil exports.
The European Council described the network as “Putin’s dark fleet,” reflecting growing concern over the scale of the shipping operation.
More than 630 vessels were under EU sanctions by mid-August 2026, preventing them from accessing EU ports.
Individual European countries have also increasingly taken action against vessels suspected of violating sanctions or maritime regulations. Some have been detained, while others have been boarded or inspected when authorities have questioned their ownership, registration or right to fly a particular flag.
Since the beginning of 2026, nine shadow-fleet tankers suspected of circumventing sanctions have been seized around the European Union.
In the latest operation, the Italian navy, working with other EU countries, boarded a tanker in the central Mediterranean suspected of falsely claiming the right to fly its stated flag. The inspection did not result in the vessel being seized, but the operation demonstrated the growing willingness of European authorities to challenge ships suspected of being connected to Russia’s sanctions-evasion network.
The European campaign reflects a broader effort to squeeze Russia’s energy revenues without directly entering into military confrontation with Moscow. Yet the increasingly forceful maritime enforcement measures have also created a new point of friction between Russia and the West.
READ ALSO; Fiscal Recklessness Could Threaten Ghana’s Economic Recovery
