Britain Intercepts Russian Sanctions-Busting Tanker in English Channel

British forces boarded the SMYRTOS, a sanctioned tanker supplying Russia's war effort, in the English Channel on June 14—the UK's first physical interception of Russia's shadow fleet. The vessel is now anchored off England's south coast for investigation. By publicizing the operation, London signals it will escalate enforcement against hundreds of aging tankers Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions.