UK Struggles to Intercept Russian Sanctioned Tankers in the English Channel

Mon Feb 02 2026 23:57:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Despite UK government's vows of assertive action, numerous Russian tankers sanctioned for evading oil sanctions navigate through the English Channel undeterred.

A staggering number of sanctioned Russian oil tankers have sailed through the English Channel this month, despite the UK government's promise of stricter enforcement against such vessels amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Legal assurances have been obtained for the detention of these vessels, yet monitoring and intervening remain a challenge as the shadow fleet continues to thrive.

Dozens of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK in response to Russia's war in Ukraine have sailed through the English Channel this month despite defense officials vowing to take 'assertive action'.

Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used hundreds of aging tankers with obscured ownership - known as the shadow fleet - to evade sanctions on its oil exports.

The BBC understands that the UK government received legal assurances earlier this month that such vessels can be detained. Yet 42 sanctioned tankers tracked by BBC Verify passing through the English Channel did so after that advice was received.

Among them was the Sofos - a tanker sanctioned by the UK Foreign Office in May 2025. It moved through the Channel after traveling from Venezuela and is now near the Russian city of St Petersburg.

Ship-tracking data shows the Sofos loaded oil in Russia in mid-November, before traveling to Turkey and then to Venezuela, where it switched off its tracking signal. Satellite imagery later placed it at Venezuela's Jose oil terminal on 22 and 23 December, before its signal reappeared outside the country's waters on 26 December.

The Nasledie, a tanker which is more than 20 years old, also entered the Channel in January. The ship was sanctioned by the UK in May 2025 and has been part of the shadow fleet since 2023.

Despite UK's military capabilities, officials have yet to seize any shadow fleet vessels independently. Calls for stringent enforcement of sanctions grow louder as these tankers maneuver past monitoring systems, with some adopting tactics to evade detection.

According to analysts, the shadow fleet is helping Russia mitigate the effects of an embargo imposed on its oil exports since 2022, propping up a beleaguered economy.

Mike Martin, a Liberal Democrat MP, expressed frustration regarding the UK government's delay in intercepting these vessels, highlighting the economic impact such operations could have on funding the war in Ukraine.

The ongoing situation underscores the challenges facing nations attempting to enforce sanctions in a complex maritime environment while Russia's sanctions evasion tactics evolve.