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  "path": "/2026/03/25/british-forces-will-start-seizing-russian-shadow-fleet-ships-fuelling-war-ukraine-27669978/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-25T22:31:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "UK",
    "Russia",
    "Russia-Ukraine war",
    "Sir Keir Starmer",
    "Vladimir Putin",
    "Middle East",
    "News Updates",
    "Breaking News",
    "Helsinki",
    "Finland",
    "Estonia",
    "Iceland",
    "Latvia",
    "check our news page",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "People look out at an oil tanker formerly known as the Bella-1, before it changed its name to the Marinera, from Hopeman Harbour, at sea in the Moray Firth, northern Scotland (Picture: AFP via Getty)\n\n**The Royal Navy will start seizing Russia’s shadow fleet vessels when they slip through UK waters, the prime minister has announced.**\n\nSir Keir Starmer said the UK would join northern European allies in intercepting the tankers as part of a drive to ‘go after’ the sanction-breaking ships fuelling Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.\n\nHe said: ‘Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets.\n\n‘That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine.\n\n‘He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.’\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\nMoscow’s shadow fleet is reported to be made up of more than a thousand ageing tankers.\n\nThey illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the conflict began.\n\nRoyal Navy patrol ship HMS Tyne following the sanctioned Russian Ropucha-class warship, Aleksandr Shabalin, and cargo vessel MV Sabetta (Picture: MoD/PA Wire)\n\nRoyal Marines from 42 Commando fast-rope from a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Sqn onto the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales (Picture: UK MOD Crown copyright)\n\nThe prime minister said the move was intended to starve Putin’s war machine ‘of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine’ (Picture: EPA)\n\nThe Prime Minister has given approval for the UK to start seizing shadow fleet vessels as he travels to Helsinki, Finland, for a summit with national leaders from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).\n\nThe JEF, a military coalition of 10 northern European countries led by the UK, aims to defend against Russian incursions.\n\nIt also includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.\n\nBritish forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships.\n\nIn January, the UK assisted in the seizure of the oil tanker Marinera by the US.\n\nPreviously known as the Bella-1, the Russian-flagged vessel was captured by American forces aided by RAF aircraft and the British supply ship RFA Tideforce in the Atlantic.\n\nSir Keir Starmer said the UK would join northern European allies in intercepting the tankers as part of a drive to ‘go after’ the sanction-breaking ships (Picture: Anadolu via Getty)\n\nLater that same month, Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Dagger helped the French seize another sanctioned ship, the Grinch, in the western Mediterranean, shadowing the vessel through the Strait of Gibraltar.\n\nLast week, the French intercepted the Deyna oil tanker in the Mediterranean, supported by the UK.\n\nLibyan authorities have meanwhile towed a suspected shadow fleet oil tanker found drifting in the Mediterranean which was believed to have been hit in a drone strike.\n\nThe tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas, was towed to avoid a spill in the Mediterranean.\n\nAt the JEF summit, the Prime Minister and other leaders are expected to discuss shared security in the so-called High North and the war in Ukraine.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "British forces authorised to board and seize Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ships in UK waters"
}