UK officials expect Russia to retaliate for seizure of shadow fleet oil tanker | Defence policy
British officials believe Russia will try to retaliate against the Royal Marines’ seizure of the Smyrtos oil tanker, prompting UK ship owners to be more cautious until tensions ease in Moscow.
Military sources said Britain was considering possible reactions to the seizure of the ship carrying $40 million (£30 million) worth of Russian crude to India and anticipated the Kremlin would want to retaliate.
“The capture of Smyrtos has been in the works for a long time. They took the risks and there is an expectation that Russia will try to retaliate,” a Navy source said. “If they do this, it could be global. They’ll probably take their time and pick their own moments.”
There was no official warning to British captains and owners, but the UK Chamber of Shipping, which represents the industry, said there was an understanding there could be a risk of tit-for-tat action from Russia.
“We are aware of the increased risk and owners are assessing the risk themselves,” a spokesman said. “From an industry perspective, greater caution is needed given the events of the last few days.”
Smyrtos was seized in the early hours of Sunday on the orders of British prime minister Keir Starmer while she was sailing 25 miles (40 km) south of the Isle of Wight. The Indian captain was accused of violating sanctions imposed by England against Russia.
On Tuesday, sailors aboard the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near a British yacht in the Channel. The tour boat, heading towards the French port of Cherbourg, approached the warship, but the couple on the ship said they were already taking action to escape when the fire opened.
The Ministry of Defense did not consider the incident to be a form of retaliation, but it shows that Russia’s unease is growing as tensions between London and Moscow deepen as a result of Britain’s support for Ukraine.
British flagged tankers have been seized in the past in tit-for-tat disputes. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held the Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz for two months in 2019.
This incident occurred after Royal Marines detained the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 in Gibraltar. He too was released a few months later.
Smyrtos’ arrest marks the first time British forces have seized a Russian-bound oil tanker and comes as the UK and Europe seek to pressure Moscow’s shadow fleet of around 600 ships, which is responsible for transporting half of its crude oil exports, a key source of revenue to finance the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Shadow fleet ships are often old, incorrectly marked or not legally marked and operate to poor environmental and safety standards. Britain says it seized Smyrtos, who had been monitored for several days, because he was mistakenly registered under the Cameroonian flag and therefore legally stateless.
The Department for Transport, which is responsible for issuing safety notices to shipowners, said it was in constant contact with the industry to provide the latest advice. Sources said there was no comment on the details of such recommendations.
