The UK government is set to introduce new restrictions on a fleet of Russian oil tankers used to circumvent existing sanctions on oil and gas exports.
Downing Street announced that up to 100 vessels, which have transported over £18 billion worth of cargo since the beginning of 2024, will face sanctions.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to make the announcement during a summit of north European leaders, known as the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), in Oslo, Norway.
Starmer vowed that the UK would take all necessary measures to dismantle Russian President Vladimir Putin’s so-called “shadow fleet operation,” aiming to cut off oil revenues that finance the Kremlin’s war machine and protect critical subsea infrastructure.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian energy, restricting imports and capping oil prices.
In response, Moscow established a “shadow fleet” of tankers with obscured ownership and movement to evade these sanctions. Downing Street has accused the operation of funding Russia’s “illegal war in Ukraine” and described the ships as “decrepit and dangerous,” responsible for “reckless seafaring.”
The new measures will see these tankers banned from British ports and risk being detained in UK waters.
The crackdown comes amid reports of damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, which has heightened concerns over the safety and impact of the shadow fleet.
Starmer stated that any action increasing pressure on Moscow and advancing peace in Ukraine also contributes to the UK’s security and prosperity.
The JEF, comprising ten nations including Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, is expected to announce further support for Ukraine during the summit.
This move follows the UK’s previous sanctions against 133 Russian “shadow” vessels during a JEF meeting in December 2024.
Boluwatife Enome
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