UK defends English Channel seizure of Russian tanker amid Putin’s ‘piracy’ warnings

The UK government has firmly defended the June interception of the Russian oil tanker MT Smyrtos in the English Channel, asserting that the operation conducted by Royal Marines was executed in full accordance with international law. The defence comes in response to a sharp rebuke from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who condemned the seizure as an act of piracy and warned that Moscow would respond in kind wherever deemed necessary.

The Smyrtos was boarded and subsequently anchored off Weymouth in what officials described as a first-of-its-kind operation to disrupt sanctioned maritime activity. The vessel’s captain, Ajay Pant, has been charged with breaching sanctions by allegedly supplying or delivering prohibited Russian oil. A government spokesperson stated that the UK is actively disrupting and deterring shadow fleet vessels whose harmful maritime activity fuels Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In response to the seizure, Putin, who was overseeing Russian navy drills in the Pacific Ocean, branded Western actions as nothing other than piracy and banditry. He cautioned that Russia’s response would not be limited to waters where raids on Russian ships are planned, but could occur anywhere. Viktor Liina, commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, further accused Western nations, including Britain and France, of operating their own shadow fleets and affirmed that Russia has the capacity to inspect and detain vessels of unfriendly states.

The UK Ministry of Defence highlighted that Russia operates a fleet of more than 700 vessels, which it claims are responsible for carrying 75% of the country’s sanctioned oil. The ministry described this oil as a critical lifeline for the Kremlin, sustaining its illegal war. In contrast, the UK stated that its armed forces and commercial vessels operate firmly within the bounds of international maritime law, distinguishing their actions from those of the shadow fleet.

Pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet has intensified across Europe, with the European Union sanctioning over 630 vessels as of mid-August 2026, effectively banning them from EU ports. Since the beginning of the year, nine shadow fleet tankers suspected of circumventing sanctions have been seized around the EU. While most recent inspections, such as one by the Italian navy in the central Mediterranean, have not resulted in seizures, the trend of detaining vessels suspected of sanctions violations continues to escalate.