UK Expands Sanctions on Russia's Shadow Fleet After Arrest of Indian Tanker Captain

The United Kingdom on Tuesday announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, a day after an Indian captain was charged following the dramatic interception of a Russian-linked vessel in the English Channel.

Ajay Pant, 38, captain of the MV Smyrtos, was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) after British forces, including Royal Marine commandos, boarded and seized the tanker during a high-profile operation south of the Isle of Wight. The vessel, sailing under a Cameroonian flag, is alleged to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, a network of ships used to transport sanctioned oil while obscuring ownership and operations.

Pant appeared before Southampton Magistrates' Court and was charged under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 . Prosecutors allege he directly or indirectly supplied or delivered prohibited Russian oil to a third country during June 2026. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison , an unlimited fine, or both.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Joanne Jakymec said there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Pant following the NCA investigation into the tanker's activities. British authorities have stressed that criminal proceedings are active and that Pant is entitled to a fair trial.

The seizure marks the UK's first direct interdiction of a suspected Russian shadow-fleet tanker. The vessel is currently being held off the Dorset coast, while its crew of Indian and Georgian nationals remains aboard. The High Commission of India in London has sought consular access and is monitoring the welfare of the crew.

Investigators believe the Smyrtos had undergone multiple ownership changes and operated through opaque corporate structures commonly associated with shadow-fleet trading. Reports indicate the tanker previously sailed under the name "Myrtos" before being sold to entities linked to Seychelles- and China-based companies.

Announcing the new sanctions package, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would continue targeting "the vessels, the money and the actors" supporting Russia's war economy. The measures sanction more than 20 additional tankers, shipping service providers and insurers suspected of facilitating Russian oil exports.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Kremlin was increasingly relying on covert shipping and financial networks to sustain its war effort. The sanctions also target a Russian military intelligence network centred on LLC Neptune Co Ltd, which British authorities accuse of procuring Western technology for Moscow's armed forces.

The package further covers three companies and 10 GRU officers, while extending restrictions to suppliers in China, Thailand and Türkiye and entities accused of helping Russia evade sanctions through illicit financial channels. British officials say the measures are intended to further weaken Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine and signal a tougher enforcement approach against the global shadow-fleet network.