A Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker has entered the English Channel for the first time since UK forces boarded the Smyrtos on Sunday, according to ship tracking data. The Forwarder, a Russian-flagged vessel, left the port of Primorsk last week and sailed south, broadcasting its final destination as China's Dongying port.
The shadow fleet consists of hundreds of tankers used by Russia to circumvent Western sanctions imposed on its oil exports following the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the UK Ministry of Defence, this fleet carries 75% of Russia's sanctioned oil.
The Forwarder was sanctioned by the UK, US, and EU in 2025. The vessel has changed its name twice since the British government accused it of smuggling oil from Russia. Satellite imagery confirmed it loaded oil at Primorsk, the largest refinery port in the Baltic Sea and a critical export hub for Russia's energy industry.
A Royal Navy warship, HMS Tyne, appears to be operating near the tanker's location, according to tracking data. However, experts told BBC Verify that the UK or France are unlikely to attempt to intercept the vessel.
Frederik Van Lokeren, a former Belgian naval officer and maritime analyst, said: 'Going after vessels that are falsely flagged or misusing a flag of convenience is one thing, but this would be going after Russia directly which would be a further step up in escalation.' He added that since Forwarder is Russian-flagged and possibly escorted by a Russian warship, interception is improbable.
A NATO official previously stated that the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich has been assigned to escort sanctioned oil tankers. On Tuesday, the frigate fired warning shots towards a British yacht that had apparently moved towards it in the Channel.
In March, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that British armed forces 'are now able to board sanctioned vessels that are passing through our waters' which were not operating in accordance with international law. However, the Smyrtos case provided a clearer legal basis as it was sailing without a registered flag.
Source: www.bbc.com