According to a statement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as reported by the Abendzeitung München, naval forces and specially trained officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the 244-meter oil tanker “Smyrtos.” The ship, sailing under the flag of Cameroon and coming from a Russian port, was attempting to cross the English Channel. The six-hour military operation was closely coordinated with France.
Defense Minister Dan Jarvis said the operation was a blow against Putin’s illegal war. Russia finances its war of aggression against Ukraine with the shadow fleet, which consists of more than 700 ships. The “Smyrtos” will now be inspected for environmental and safety deficiencies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Britain and called on Europe to enable legal steps to not only stop tankers but also seize their cargo.
Russia uses the shadow fleet to circumvent Western sanctions imposed over its war of aggression. Two weeks ago, France, with British support, inspected a Russian oil tanker in the Atlantic. The Kremlin at the time called such actions “international piracy.”
Source: Stadt München
