UK Forces Intercept Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in English Channel

On June 14, 2026, UK forces—including Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers, supported by RAF and naval assets—boarded and intercepted the sanctioned Russian oil tanker SMYRTOS in the English Channel in a six-hour operation. The vessel will be held off southern England for inspection and monitoring; the operation, conducted with French coordination, is described as the first UK-led action targeting Russia's shadow fleet and aims to disrupt oil exports that help finance Russia's war in Ukraine. The UK has sanctioned over 500 vessels linked to the shadow fleet, which carries an estimated 75% of Russia's sanctioned oil.