Guardian: Britain considers using troops to seize 'shadow fleet' tankers

The United Kingdom is considering military options to seize tankers of the Russian "shadow fleet". This was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian with reference to unnamed interlocutors in the Ministry of Defense.

Britain is threatening to seize tankers linked to Russia, which is an escalating step that could lead to the opening of a new front against Moscow at a time when Russia's oil revenues are falling sharply.

British defense officials confirmed that military options for the seizure were identified during negotiations involving NATO allies, although a month has passed since the US-led seizure of the Russian tanker in the Atlantic.

In January, 23 ships of the "shadow fleet" were spotted in the English Channel or Baltic Sea using false flags. Many of them are associated with Russian oil exports, mainly by water to China, India, and Turkey.

A joint statement issued last month by a number of European states said that all ships passing through any of the regions must "strictly comply with applicable international law." But despite setting the conditions for the arrest, nothing has been done.

"The Royal Navy could have detained any number of vessels under the law of the sea because they are effectively stateless. But they didn't because there is a risk of escalation," said Richard Mead, editor-in-chief of Lloyd's List, a specialized shipping publication.

Last month, the Royal Marines held a briefing for British MPs and colleagues on the threat from Russia and the situation in the Arctic and the High North. One of the attendees said that the Marines were "waiting anxiously" for the order to seize the ship.

The media recalled the seizure of a Russian tanker by the US military in January. A British-led operation would potentially be more tense "because Moscow is likely to react more decisively," Mead said. He added that the risks could have been reduced if the hijacking had taken place outside Baltic or Arctic waters.

The circumvention of rules that makes the idea of a "shadow fleet" attractive to Moscow has also made it vulnerable. A ship's flag is actually its own jurisdiction, but if a ship uses a false flag or even multiple flags, it is effectively stateless and therefore theoretically can be seized, although the exact legal interpretation differs in European countries, the journalists noted.

There are also signs that Moscow is responding to Western threats by re-registering shadow fleet tankers to prevent their capture.

• As of 2025, the UK imposed sanctions already against more than 500 vessels, which it considers part of the "shadow fleet" and those that help finance hostile activities, including Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.
• On January 7, 2026, the US Army seized the Russian-flagged tanker Bella 1. Kremlin warships, including a submarine, were nearby. The Americans also took control and another shadow tanker, Sophia.
• The head of the British Defense Ministry said that the kingdom helped the United States in the operation to seize Bella 1.