'Piracy': Russia threatens to seize UK ships in response to 'raids' on shadow fleet tankers by Royal Marines
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The Smyrtos oil tanker carrying sanctioned cargo was seized after being boarded by Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers
Vladimir Putin has threatened to seize British ships after a crop of his shadow fleet tankers have been seized.
Russia has been using unflagged ships to skirt economic sanctions and fund its illegal invasion of Ukraine, transporting oil and other supplies. The most high-profile incident saw Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers board MV Smyrtos while transiting through the English Channel.
In the first UK operation of its kind, aircraft from the Maritime Air Group (Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat), an RAF P-8 aircraft, HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury, supported the Commandos across six hours.
The ship was taken into custody and captain, Indian national Ajay Pant, faces a trial date after being charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Mr Putin went on the offensive against Britain and Europe, after five of his shadow fleet ships were seized. Appearing in uniform at a naval exercise in the Pacific, he branded the actions as “piracy”.
As reported in The Daily Telegraph, the Russian president said: “We can see that the authorities of certain countries, in violation of international maritime law, are attempting to restrict the movement of our economic operators’ vessels and have recently gone so far as to consider the possibility of seizing our vessels and selling off the property they have plundered from us.
“Naturally, this is nothing less than piracy and robbery. And if this begins to be put into practice, we shall be forced to respond in kind. And not necessarily in those waters where raids on our ships and vessels are planned, but wherever we ourselves deem it necessary and appropriate.”
Viktor Liina, the commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, said Britain and France are potential targets for maritime retaliations. He claimed the fleet was gathering intelligence on Asia-Pacific trade routes, the cargo ships used, and their owners.
Russian activity has been increasing in the English Channel. The Royal Navy is being deployed more often to monitor their activities.
British warships were activated 116 times to shadow 61 Russian warships and 28 Moscow merchant vessels in the within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) during the 2025-26 financial year. This was organised under Operation Addison. Within the EEZ, there has been a 30 per cent increase in activity over the past two years.
Further sanctions against illicit Russian ships, Moscow-based banks, and other organisations have been enforced against sources which are funding Russia’s war against Ukraine. Foreign secretary Ed Miliband previously said these restrictions demonstrate the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and deterring the Kremlin’s aggression.
“Those that threaten Ukraine’s freedom and democracy are a threat to Britain’s security at home,” he added. “That’s why we will continue stepping up the pressure on Russia until a just and lasting peace has been reached.”