The UK Navy has not yet detained any Russian oil tankers under sanctions due to the risks of the significant costs of maintaining such vessels.
The Times writes about this.
In March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to "pursue" Russian tankers flying foreign flags and allowed the possibility of landing special forces from the National Crime Agency on them.
However, no such operation has ever taken place due to disagreements within the government over where to keep the ships and which department should pay for them. The British government fears that the cost of maintaining these tankers in ports could reach tens of millions of pounds.
British authorities have drawn attention to the case of the Panamanian vessel MV Matthew, which was seized by Ireland in September 2023. The vessel was carrying more than 2.2 tons of cocaine worth €157 million. The maintenance, security and mooring of the vessel have already exceeded £10 million.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmud also expressed concern that the tanker detentions could allow Russian mercenaries to apply for asylum in the UK.
The Times notes that in early April, a shadow fleet tanker passed through the English Channel accompanied by a Russian warship. The very next day, three more vessels under sanctions passed along the same route.
According to media estimates, the Russian shadow fleet currently numbers around 700 vessels and accounts for around 40% of Russian oil exports. As of today, Britain has imposed sanctions on 544 vessels of the Russian shadow fleet.
At the same time, Britain has not yet led the operations to seize these tankers, although it has assisted allies in such actions. In particular, it assisted the US in the operation to seize the tanker “Marinera” earlier this year, providing a reconnaissance and support vessel.
What is known about the Russian shadow fleet?
In early December 2022, the G7 members, as well as Australia and the EU, imposed price caps on Russian oil, setting a maximum price of $60 per barrel. In January 2026, the European Union reported a reduction in the price of Russian oil to $44.1 per barrel from February 1, 2026.
To circumvent oil sanctions, Russia has begun to form a shadow fleet. This is a fleet of old tankers that turn off their beacons so that they cannot be seen by surveillance systems. They are operated mostly by the Russian state company “Suchkomflot”. With its help, the Russian Federation transports an estimated 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, which brings large profits to the Kremlin.
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