THE BRITISH MILITARY has been given the green light to board sanction dodging Russian shadow fleet vessels off the coast of Britain.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ordered that the UK Armed Forces and law enforcement officers to begin to interdict vessels that have been sanctioned by Britain and are transiting through British waters.

It follows the Royal Navy supporting allies with the monitoring and tracking of several shadow fleet ships to enable interdiction in European and Mediterranean waters in recent weeks.

There is a driving force now across Europe as more robust action is being taken against the Shadow Fleet, which comprises an estimated 500 vessels. French and Scandinavian forces have been particularly robust. 

As revealed by The Journal, Ireland is considering boarding the Shadow Fleet ships off the Irish coast to inspect them. New legislation has been drafted and is due to make its way through the Oireachtas.

Sources have said that British forces were heavily involved with French operations in which Special Forces boarded Shadow Fleet ships. 

The issue for Ireland has been that if it were to seize the ships there would be no where to take them so the Government is focused on inspecting the vessels only. Minister Helen McEntee said it is part of a strategy of deterrence. 

There is a Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Summit taking place in Helsinki to discuss security in the region and how partners can combat an increasingly aggressive Russia.

A number of JEF allies, including Finland, Sweden and Estonia, have carried out recent operations against suspected illegal shadow fleet vessels in the Baltic, closing off critical maritime routes to Russia’s malign operation. Ireland’s new Maritime Security Strategy had suggested getting closer to the JEF alliance. 

An image of the JEF summit in Helsinki. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A statement from Downing Street said that by joining JEF partners in interdicting shadow fleet vessels, the UK will put a further stranglehold on the shadow fleet, closing off UK waters, including the Channel, for sanctioned vessels.

The strategy is focused on forcing operators to either divert to longer, financially cumbersome routes, or risk being detained by British forces.

“Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets. That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine.

“He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” he said. 

The British strategy will also focus on the Arctic and High North seas as a critical way to limit Russia’s influence in the region.

The London government said that they have been monitoring the shadow fleet for a number of years. In the wake of the US operation to seize the tanker Bella 1 in the Atlantic off Scotland and Iceland, which was supported by the British military, UK ministers ordered the development of plans and options to carry out similar operations against further Russian shadow fleet ships.

Training has taken place involving military and British law enforcement agencies in recent weeks. 

Each target ship will be individually considered by law enforcement, military and energy market specialists before a recommendation is made to ministers and an operation is executed.

Following the detention of a ship, criminal proceedings may be brought against the against the owners, operators and crew, for breaches of UK sanctions legislation.

Around 75% of Russia’s crude oil is transported by Putin’s decrepit fleet and aging fleet of ships. Alongside allies, the UK has imposed sanctions on 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels.