Indian captain arrested after UK seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker

The UK has arrested and charged an Indian national after intercepting a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the English Channel, as London simultaneously unveiled a fresh round of sanctions aimed at tightening pressure on Moscow’s wartime economy. Ajay Pant, 38, the captain of the MV Smyrtos, was charged with breaching UK sanctions linked to Russian oil exports following a dramatic operation involving Royal Marine Commandos and the Royal Air Force. According to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Pant is accused of “directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil/oil products from Russia to a third country” in violation of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Pant is due to appear before Southampton Magistrates’ Court. Chief Crown Prosecutor Joanne Jakymec said the Crown Prosecution Service had concluded there was sufficient evidence and that prosecuting the case was in the public interest. The MV Smyrtos was intercepted on Sunday in a six-hour operation that saw commandos fast-rope from a helicopter onto the vessel, marking the first operation of its kind conducted by UK armed forces.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander subsequently issued an order preventing the tanker from leaving British waters. Twenty-four crew members, comprising Indian and Georgian nationals, remain aboard the vessel, which is being held off the Dorset coast. UK authorities said the crew were assisting the NCA investigation. India’s High Commission in London has sought consular access through the International Maritime Organisation and is awaiting a response from British authorities. The arrest came as the UK announced a new package of sanctions targeting more than 20 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a network of ageing tankers used to transport Russian oil despite Western restrictions imposed following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the measures targeted “the vessels, the money and the actors propping up Russia’s war economy”. He added that Britain would continue working with its G7 partners to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Kremlin was relying on increasingly “shady tactics” to sustain its war effort, including the use of shadow fleet vessels and covert financial networks. The latest sanctions also target ship insurers, shipping services, companies and individuals linked to Russian military intelligence procurement networks, as well as organisations in several countries accused of helping Moscow bypass Western restrictions. British officials said the measures were designed to further disrupt Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its war in Ukraine.