Sanctioned Russian Tankers Defy UK Warnings in the English Channel

Tue Feb 03 2026 20:33:31 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Despite assurances of assertive action from UK officials, numerous sanctioned Russian oil tankers have passed through the English Channel this January, raising questions about the enforcement of sanctions amid ongoing conflict.

This month, over 40 Russian tankers, sanctioned in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine, have navigated through the English Channel, contradicting the UK government's promise of assertive actions against such vessels. The use of a shadow fleet allows Russia to evade sanctions, with tankers frequently altering their identities to avoid detection. As the effectiveness of sanctioned vessel interceptions is scrutinized, calls for tougher enforcement grow from political leaders.

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 defence officials vowing to take assertive action.

Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used hundreds of ageing 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 travelling 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 travelling 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, another tanker, 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. After a name change from Blint and switching to a Russian registry, it entered the Channel carrying about 100,000 tonnes of Urals crude.

The shadow fleet has enabled Russia to mitigate the impact of an embargo imposed on its oil exports since 2022 and supported its economy despite Western sanctions.

In January, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper underscored the intent to tighten the chokehold on Russia and take new actions against shadow fleet vessels. However, British troops have yet to independently seize any vessels, contrasting with actions taken by US and French forces targeting sanctioned tankers.

Despite calls from Parliament for decisive action against the shadow fleet, six tankers operating under false flags have been noted by BBC Verify since early January, pointing to a concerning trend in maritime enforcement challenges.

Mike Martin MP emphasized the urgency of effective action against the shadow fleet, stating its profits fuel Russia's operations in Ukraine, pressing that curbing their activity is crucial for sanction effectiveness.

As discussions continue, the UK government reaffirms its commitment to countering the shadow fleet amid growing international scrutiny.