UK forces will be able to board and seize vessels sanctioned as part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ as they transit through British waters, the government announced on Wednesday.
Downing Street said British military and law enforcement personnel will be empowered to interdict sanctioned ships, as London intensifies pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The UK has already sanctioned hundreds of vessels suspected of helping Moscow bypass Western oil embargoes imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These ships—typically ageing tankers with opaque ownership structures—are banned from accessing UK ports and services.
“The prime minister has agreed that the UK armed forces and law enforcement officers will now be able to interdict vessels that have been sanctioned by the UK and are transiting through UK waters,” Downing Street said.
The government added that the move would “put a further stranglehold” on the shadow fleet by effectively closing off UK waters, including the English Channel, to sanctioned vessels—forcing operators to take longer and more costly routes or risk detention.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the crackdown is aimed at cutting off revenue streams funding Russia’s war effort.
“Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets,” Starmer said.
“That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder—not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine.”
Starmer is expected to address a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force—a UK-led defence alliance of ten countries—in Helsinki on Thursday.
The announcement comes as Washington has eased some restrictions on Russian oil exports in an effort to stabilise prices following the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
In January, London supported a U.S. operation to seize a Russia-linked oil tanker, the Marinera—formerly known as the Bella-1—which was accused of sailing under a false flag.
Several European countries, including France, Belgium, and Finland, have also moved to detain vessels suspected of sanction-busting activities linked to Russia’s ‘ghost fleet.’
Downing Street said that following any detention, criminal proceedings could be brought against owners, operators, and crew for breaches of UK sanctions law.
Each operation will require case-by-case assessment by law enforcement and ministerial approval, the government said.
According to official figures, the UK has sanctioned 544 vessels believed to be part of the shadow fleet, which it says transports around 75% of Russia’s crude oil.
