UK forces seize Russian oil tanker in English Channel

British forces have seized a Russian oil tanker in the English Channel in the first United Kingdom-led operation of its kind. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the interdiction of the vessel Smyrtos on Sunday, June 14, 2026, describing it as a blow to Russia's ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

The operation began in the early hours of Sunday morning and lasted six hours. Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the tanker. The mission was supported by aircraft from the Maritime Air Group, an RAF P-8 aircraft, and the Royal Navy ships HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury. The vessel has been moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England near Portland, Dorset, where it will be held and monitored for environmental and safety concerns while investigations proceed.

Authorities stated the action was taken against the so-called "shadow fleet," a network of hundreds of vessels used by Moscow to transport oil while evading international sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. The UK Ministry of Defence said this fleet carries an estimated 75 percent of Russia's sanctioned oil, providing a critical...