British armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in Channel

British armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel on Sunday, June 14, 2026, according to Keir Starmer. The operation, which lasted six hours, involved Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency. This marks the first time the UK has led such an operation. The vessel, named Smyrtos, was sailing under a Cameroonian flag at the time of the interception. Starmer stated that this action delivered "yet another blow" to Russia and President Putin. The "shadow fleet" refers to a network of oil tankers operating outside of international sanctions, often used by Russia to circumvent economic restrictions.