Britain seizes Russian oil tanker in English Channel amid rising tensions with Moscow

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the country’s armed forces have intercepted and seized the Russian oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel.

In a post published on the social media platform X on Sunday, Starmer announced the capture of the vessel, saying it was part of Russia’s so-called “Shadow Fleet.”

The British Ministry of Defense said the operation lasted six hours and that the vessel would be “provisionally moved to an anchorage off the South Coast of England and will be monitored for any environmental or safety concerns.”

The seizure comes amid a series of similar maritime actions involving Russian-linked vessels.

On June 1, the French navy, with British support, intercepted and seized a Russian oil tanker called the Tagor.

In March, French armed forces captured the Deyna in Marseille, and in January, the Grinch was detained, with all vessels described by European authorities as part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

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The repeated seizures have drawn strong criticism from Moscow, which says European governments are acting outside international law and escalating tensions at sea.

In a statement released in late March, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the seizure of tankers as “absolutely unacceptable,” warning that Moscow will use all tools at its disposal to defend its interests.

The ministry also said that “the EU [has] invented the definition of ‘shadow fleet,’ which does not exist in international maritime law, and under the cover of which piracy on maritime routes is carried out.”

It further argued that only sanctions approved by the United Nations Security Council are legitimate, stating that “unilateral unlawful restrictions adopted by individual states or limited groupings thereof are neither international nor legitimate.”

Russia said it would respond through “all political, legal, and other tools” to protect freedom of navigation.

It also called on the international community not to accept a “neocolonial dictatorship,” urging states to resist efforts to turn global shipping routes into zones of confrontation.

Moscow added that it believes “the global majority” recognizes the risks of Western attempts to control maritime routes and limit access to trade and resources, arguing that such actions threaten international stability and development.

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