- British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, marking the first UK-led operation of its kind.
- Royal Marine commandos and specially trained National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned oil tanker, named Smyrtos, during a six-hour operation.
- The vessel will be provisionally moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England for monitoring regarding environmental or safety concerns.
- The Ministry of Defence confirmed the operation was supported by various military aircraft and ships, including Chinooks, Merlin Mk4, Wildcat, an RAF P-8 aircraft, and HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury.
- Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis praised the operation, stating it delivers a blow to Russia's efforts to fund its war in Ukraine by circumventing international sanctions through poorly regulated shadow fleet vessels.
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