Britain is planning to seize more Russian oil tankers and use profits running into hundreds of millions of pounds to fund Ukraine’s fight against President Putin, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Senior Government sources told the MoS they expect each seized tanker in Russia‘s sanctions-busting ‘shadow fleet’ would raise tens of millions – money that would be denied to Moscow and instead help Ukraine battle back.
The dramatic change in approach comes after the Grinch, which was travelling from the Arctic port of Murmansk in northern Russia, was boarded last Thursday in a daring joint UK-French raid in the Mediterranean.
It was flying the Comoros flag, but French maritime authorities said a search of the vessel ‘confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag’.
Defence Secretary John Healy revealed the UK navy had provided ‘tracking and monitoring’ support, with HMS Dagger monitoring the tanker through the Straits of Gibraltar.
The MoS understands that Britain’s special forces are on standby to target more of Russia’s shadow fleet, with UK sanctions imposed on 544 vessels.
Defence sources hope this high-stakes move will turn the tables on Russia with the money going to Kyiv’s defences instead of pouring into the Kremlin’s coffers.
File photo of a French navy operation seizing a Russian oil tanker with the help of British intelligence on January 22
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media in the briefing room of 9 Downing Street in central London on January 19
Pictured: The scene from the French Navy operation on Thursday
A senior government source said: ‘This would be a game changer, not only depriving Putin of illegal oil revenues to fund his war, but flipping the proceeds of that oil back to Ukraine as they continue to fight back.’
Oil revenue is a critical part of Russia’s economy, and Moscow’s shadow fleet has been used to dodge Western sanctions and bankroll Putin’s war machine.
But the UK approach is seen as high risk.
Defence experts believe Russia could retaliate by seizing British-flagged tankers or upping its own economic and legal warfare against the West.
Moscow has already explicitly said that using Russian assets to fund Ukraine is ‘outright theft’ and a ‘special kind of casus belli’ [justification for war].
But the MoD has calculated the seizures are proportionate and fall within internationally agreed sanctions.
This move follows similar action taken by the US, which has repeatedly seized oil shipments tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for violating sanctions.
The shipments were then sold under court-approved forfeiture orders.
The MoS understands that Britain’s special forces are on standby to target more of Russia’s shadow fleet, with UK sanctions imposed on 544 vessels. Photo from the previous operation
The US said previously that ‘these actions have deprived Iran of more than 5,300,000 barrels of petroleum products and $294 million attributable to IRGC.’
It comes as Washington-led talks in Abu Dhabi involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the US appear to have stalled.
According to insiders, progress has been made but the key issue of territory remains unresolved.
Overnight, Russia targeted civilians, with deadly missiles raining down in a ‘barbaric’ attack on Kyiv, leaving one dead and 15 injured, and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, was also hit.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the ‘brutal’ strike – ‘cynically’ ordered by Russian leader Vladimir Putin – had ‘hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.’
Russia’s shadow fleet consists of ageing oil tankers used secretly to ship crude around the world by switching flags, disabling tracking systems and obscuring ownership to evade Western sanctions.
The MoD said: ‘Deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for this government.
‘Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels – and we will continue to do so.’
Tom Keatinge, Director of the Centre for Finance & Security at RUSI, said:
‘This would be a significant development in the UK’s support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia – a step we would welcome.
‘It shows the MoD is becoming more muscular in Britain’s defence against the Kremlin’s shadowy forces and taking the upper hand over the more cautious approach of the Foreign Office.
‘For too long, Russia has used its illegal armada to dodge sanctions and fuel its illegal war. Hopefully, this robust action will make that much harder.’
