UK Defends Shadow Fleet Tanker Seizure as Putin Threatens Retaliation

The British government has stood by its decision to seize a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel, after President Vladimir Putin openly threatened to retaliate against Western nations for such operations.

The Boarding of MT Smyrtos

In a first-of-its-kind operation, Royal Marine Commandos intercepted and boarded the oil tanker MT Smyrtos in June. The vessel was anchored off Weymouth on England's southern coast. Its captain, Ajay Pant, was charged with breaching Russian sanctions for allegedly supplying prohibited Russian crude oil.

Putin's Direct Threat

While overseeing Russian naval drills in the Pacific Ocean, Putin condemned Western countries for seizing Russian vessels, calling the actions nothing other than piracy and banditry. He issued a stark warning: Russia will respond in kind, and not necessarily in the waters where raids on our ships are planned, but wherever we deem it necessary, anywhere. Viktor Liina, commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet, accused Britain and France of running their own shadow fleets and claimed Russia could inspect and detain vessels of unfriendly states.

London Holds Its Ground

A UK government spokesperson confirmed that British armed forces had boarded the Smyrtos in full accordance with international law. The spokesperson said the UK was disrupting and deterring shadow fleet vessels and their harmful maritime activity which is fuelling Russia's war with Ukraine. Officials stressed that British vessels operate firmly in line with international maritime law, in sharp contrast to Russia's clandestine operations.