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HKCrime5 days ago

UK charges Indian captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker seized in Channel

British prosecutors have charged Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, with sanctions contravention offenses related to his role as the captain of the Russian shadow fleet vessel Smyrtos, which was intercepted by British forces in the English Channel. The vessel was seized in a joint operation between the UK and Ukraine, described as a significant blow to Russia's war effort. Pant faces charges for allegedly transporting prohibited oil products from Russia to a third country between June 2026. He is scheduled to appear in court in Southampton.

British prosecutors have charged with sanctions contravention offences the Indian captain of an interdicted alleged Russian shadow fleet vessel seized in the Channel, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday.

It follows British armed forces on Sunday intercepting the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos – said to belong to Russia’s shadow fleet – in a dramatic operation hailed by Kyiv and London as a blow to Moscow’s war machine.

British commandos boarded the ship off the southern English coast by fast-roping from a helicopter in the dark, according to defence ministry footage released, in the first such UK-led operation.

“Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, has been charged,” the NCA said in a Monday evening statement.

It alleged he had contravened sanctions by “directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil / oil products from Russia to a third country during the period of June 2026”.

The statement noted the Crown Prosecution Service – responsible for criminal charging decisions in England and Wales – authorised the move “following a review of the file submitted by the NCA”.

Pant will appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in the southern English city on Tuesday, according to the agency.

Read the full article at South China Morning Post →
Source document: National Crime Agency (NCA)

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South China Morning PostParty-alignedCenter5 days ago
UK charges Indian captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker seized in Channel

British prosecutors have charged Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, with sanctions contravention offenses related to his role as the captain of the Russian shadow fleet vessel Smyrtos, which was intercepted by British forces in the English Channel. The vessel was seized in a joint operation between the UK and Ukraine, described as a significant blow to Russia's war effort. Pant faces charges for allegedly transporting prohibited oil products from Russia to a third country between June 2026. He is scheduled to appear in court in Southampton.

Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports on legal actions taken by British authorities against an individual linked to a Russian vessel, citing official sources like the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service. There's

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  • government National Crime Agency (NCA)
  • government Crown Prosecution Service

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  • governmentNational Crime Agency (NCA)
  • governmentCrown Prosecution Service