UK Royal Marines Board Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in English Channel

Executive Briefing

• Intercepted the Cameroon-flagged vessel Smyrtos via helicopter assault with Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers
• Operation lasted six hours and was coordinated closely with French authorities before anchoring the tanker off Weymouth
• Russia's shadow fleet exceeds 700 vessels and carries roughly 75% of its sanctioned oil exports, funding the Ukraine war
• UK has sanctioned nearly 600 shadow fleet ships; Russia's oil revenues are down 27% from October 2024 levels
• Zelenskyy praised the action, noting oil revenues enabled Russia's military buildup ahead of the invasion