British armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker, the Smyrtos, in the English Channel during the early hours of Sunday. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) described the operation as the first UK-led action of its kind. The vessel, which tracks indicate sails under a Cameroon flag, will be held and monitored off the south coast of England while investigations continue. The six-hour operation involved Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency, supported by the RAF, HMS Sutherland, and HMS Ledbury. The MoD stated the mission was conducted in close coordination with French authorities. Support was provided by a British helicopter and an RAF P-8 aircraft from the Maritime Air Group. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the operation delivers a blow to Russia and serves as a reminder to those fueling the war in Ukraine that they cannot hide. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis added that the interdiction targets the resources Russia relies on to fund its conflict. The MoD noted that Russia uses a shadow fleet of over 700 vessels with obscure ownership structures to evade international sanctions, carrying approximately 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil. The UK has sanctioned more than 500 vessels to date, prohibiting them from entering UK ports and banning British firms from providing financial, insurance, or brokerage services to them. According to the MoD, these measures contributed to a 24 percent decline in Russia’s oil and gas revenues in 2025 compared to the previous year. While the UK government aims to choke off funding for the war, Russian President Putin has condemned the capture of Russia-linked vessels as “piracy.”