British commandos boarded and intercepted a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday, marking the first operation of its kind to disrupt oil revenue funding Russia's war in Ukraine. The vessel, named Smyrtos and sailing under a Cameroonian flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency (NCA) officials in the early hours of Sunday, with support from Chinook helicopters, other aircraft, a frigate, and a minehunter.
Operation Details
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X, "This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling Putin's war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide." Video of the raid released by the government showed British commandos abseiling onto the vessel, while NCA officials searched through documentation.
Lieutenant Colonel Tom Quinn told reporters that while there were risks involved, the operation was a core part of the commandos' training, and they faced no resistance. "Once we boarded the vessel and moved to the bridge, the dialogue with the crew was professional and safe. The crew enabled us to conduct the actions needed to safely take control of the vessel and move it to an anchorage," he said.
International Reaction
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X that he was grateful to Britain for the tanker's detention. Kyiv has been lobbying its allies to toughen enforcement against the shadow fleet, which it says funds Russia's war machine.
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