Prime minister says British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the early hours of Sunday morning
My colleagues Mark Brown and Jessica Elgot have filed a full report on the British armed forces intercepting and boarding a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel this morning. Here is an extract:
British authorities say the Smyrtos is one of 700 vessels in a shadow fleet responsible for carrying 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil. The fleet provides Russia with what analysts say is a critical lifeline, allowing oil to be sold and funds generated to continue its war against Ukraine.
The Sunday morning operation is the first time the UK has led on such an endeavour, previously providing support to the French military when it carried out something similar in the Atlantic…