British forces intercept oil tanker linked to Russia's 'ghost fleet'

In this photo released by the British Royal Navy, commandos from the Royal Marines detain the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel, on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
LPhot Hutchins/British Royal Navy via AP
United Kingdom armed forces approached and detained this Sunday (14) an oil tanker suspected of being part of the so-called "ghost fleet" used by Russia to transport oil in violation of international sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.
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The operation was carried out in the English Channel by commandos from the British Royal Navy, who descended from helicopters onto the vessel, named Smyrtos. According to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense, this was the first action of its kind led by the country.
After the interception, the ship was taken to the south coast of England, where it will remain detained and under monitoring while authorities conduct an investigation. The British government stated that the operation took place in close coordination with French authorities, who had already accompanied vessels linked to the so-called "ghost fleet".
The so-called "ghost fleet" is a network of hundreds of tankers used by Russia to transport oil and oil products despite sanctions imposed by Western countries after the invasion of Ukraine. Many of these vessels operate with opaque ownership, change flags frequently and adopt strategies to make it difficult to track their cargo.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the action represents yet another blow against Moscow.
"This operation deals yet another blow to Russia and reminds those who help finance Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine that they cannot hide," he declared.
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Western countries believe Russia uses hundreds of ships to circumvent sanctions economies and continue exporting oil, an important source of revenue to finance the war.
According to maritime monitoring website MarineTraffic, the Smyrtos was sailing under the flag of Cameroon. The vessel left the Russian port of Ust-Luga, in the Baltic Sea, on June 5 and was destined for Port Said, Egypt.
In a statement, British authorities stated that operations of this type directly affect the resources that support the Russian offensive in Ukraine and reduce Moscow's ability to threaten the security of Europe and other regions.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, thanked the British government and the population of the United Kingdom for what he called "firmness based on principles."
"It was Russia's arrogance, fueled by high oil and gas revenues, that paved the way for this war. Every decision by partners that deprives Russia of financial resources also limits the war itself," wrote Zelensky on the social network of the cargo they carry," he said.
In this photo released by the British Royal Navy, Royal Marines commandos detain the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel, on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
LPhot Hutchins/British Royal Navy via AP

Source: G1