Dramatic moment UK forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in English Channel

WorldPolitics
14 Jun 2026 • 7:03 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Dramatic moment UK forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in English Channel

UK armed forces have boarded and seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel.

Footage released by the Ministry of Defence on Sunday (14 June) shows Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency searching the tanker during a six-hour operation.

The Smyrtos, which was sailing under the flag of Cameroon, will be held and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue, the MoD confirmed.

Sharing the footage on social media, Sir Keir Starmer wrote: “This successful operation ⁠⁠delivers yet another ⁠⁠blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling ⁠[Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war in ⁠⁠Ukraine that ⁠⁠we will not let them hide.”