In brief
British forces seized the MT Smyrtos, a vessel part of Russia’s "shadow fleet", after its captain was accused of violating sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled the operation as piracy, threatening to respond wherever necessary. The UK insists the raid was lawful and part of its effort to curb illicit oil traffic that fuels the war with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU has sanctioned over 630 shadow‑fleet vessels, with several being seized in the past year.
The UK government publicly defended its seizure of the MT Smyrtos, a Russian‑owned oil tanker linked to the country’s “shadow fleet.” The vessel was intercepted and boarded by Royal Marine Commandos off Weymouth in June, after the captain, Ajay Pant, was charged with breaching Russian sanctions by supplying prohibited oil.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticised the operation as an act of piracy, threatening retaliation in any waters the Kremlin deems necessary. He said the UK and other Western states were “banditry” for seizing Russian vessels.
The Ministry of Defence says the seizure was carried out in full accordance with international law and is part of a broader effort to disrupt the shadow fleet that fuels Russia’s war with Ukraine. The UK state that its own armed forces and commercial vessels operate within the rules of maritime law.
The incident occurs amid a tightening EU campaign against Russia’s shadow fleet, with more than 630 vessels sanctioned in August 2026 and several seized by EU‑aligned naval forces since the start of the year. The EU’s sanctions aim to block the movement of Russian‑linked ships that evade punitive limits.