The move is the latest blow to Russia’s shadow fleet, which is fuelling Putin’s barbaric war in Ukraine, and comes as the Prime Minister arrives at the Joint Expeditionary Force Summit in Helsinki today [26 March] to discuss security in the region and how partners can combat an increasingly aggressive Russia. The region is the only place where Russia, through its formidable Northern Fleet, can directly threaten the lifelines that sustain and protect us: food, energy, undersea data cables, and the sea lines of communication that connect the US to Europe. UK military have been tracking the shadow fleet for a number of years and following the successful US operation to seize tanker Bella 1, which UK assets supported, Ministers ordered the development of plans and options to carry out similar operations against further Russian shadow fleet ships.
Author: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
Published at: 2026-03-25 22:30:08
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