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British military forces are currently in the final stages of preparing to board and seize vessels that form part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, following authorization from the prime minister to take direct action against these ships. These vessels are reportedly operating without proper national flags in order to circumvent sanctions targeting Russian oil exports and to generate revenue to support the conflict in Ukraine.
Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that this initiative aims to deprive “Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign.” Despite recent shifts in governmental focus toward the Middle East conflict, officials remain determined to highlight and address the ongoing risks posed by Russia. The decision to permit boarding coincided with the prime minister’s arrival in Finland for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit, a regional military alliance of northern European countries. Starmer is scheduled to speak at the summit on Thursday.
In recent weeks, Royal Navy personnel have aided Finland, Sweden, and Estonia by helping to track and monitor shadow fleet ships. While no UK military personnel have yet physically boarded any of the vessels, there is clear intent at senior governmental levels to change this. Specialist units, including the Special Boat Service and Royal Marines, have completed training designed to simulate various scenarios, including encounters with armed crews. Ministry of Defence officials are now planning for the initial boarding operations to take place in the near future.
It is estimated by the government that approximately 75% of Russia’s crude oil shipments are handled by aging vessels, with sanctions currently imposed on 544 ships believed to be part of the shadow fleet. Advanced ship-tracking technologies allow authorities to detect these sanctioned vessels approaching UK waters well in advance. Defence officials continue to monitor these systems closely to determine targets for imminent operations. Earlier this year, British forces worked alongside US troops to seize the oil tanker Marinera, accused of violating sanctions by transporting oil for Venezuela, Russia, and Iran. Following this, British ministers explored how UK forces could independently conduct similar missions within their waters. Legal backing for using military force in such actions has been established under the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act 2018, though analysis showed many sanctioned vessels still passed through the English Channel after this legal route was clarified. Recent meetings between UK Defence Secretary John Healey, Attorney General Lord Hermer, and counterparts in the JEF have focused on the legal details governing various intervention scenarios.
In a statement prior to the JEF summit, Sir Keir Starmer reflected on the increasingly unstable global environment, saying: “Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets. 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.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party acknowledged the importance of efforts to keep sanctioned ships away from UK waters but criticized Labour for not adequately supporting the armed forces with sufficient resources, suggesting this reveals a denial of the country’s security challenges
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