U.K. Launches Historic Sanctions Against Russian Oil Tanker Fleet

On Friday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the largest sanctions initiative by the U.K. aimed at Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, which is suspected of evading Western-imposed restrictions stemming from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The British government announced it would impose sanctions on nearly 100 vessels that have transported over $24 billion worth of oil since the beginning of 2023. Additionally, it introduced measures targeted at individuals and organizations associated with the fleet.

So far, the U.K. has placed more Russian shadow fleet ships on its blacklist than any other nation, with the goal of making these vessels a financial burden for the Kremlin’s wartime economy.

Experts indicate that this shadow fleet—comprised of tankers with opaque ownership and lacking proper insurance—has facilitated Russia in continuing its oil sales despite existing export bans and price restrictions.

London asserts that Western sanctions have already decreased Russia’s oil and gas revenues by more than one-third since 2022. The government has also accused the aging tankers of causing damage to crucial subsea cables throughout Europe.

«The potential risk posed by Russia to our national security cannot be overlooked,» Starmer stated.

«This is why we are committed to doing everything possible to dismantle their shadow fleet operations, cut off oil revenues fueling their military efforts, and safeguard the subsea infrastructure essential to our daily lives,» he continued.

In a message on X, Starmer emphasized that the sanctions are intended to “protect working individuals” in the U.K.

On the same day, the Prime Minister was in Oslo attending a meeting of the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), where discussions on Ukraine and Arctic security were a priority.

The alliance was anticipated to announce new support initiatives for Ukraine, which would include increased military training and efforts to combat disinformation.

Furthermore, Britain and Norway are expected to formalize a new memorandum concerning “space domain awareness,” which is aimed at monitoring satellites, debris, and other objects in orbit.

The JEF includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Reporting by AFP contributed to this article.