The UK’s policy toward Russia’s so-called shadow fleet is having an effect, the defence secretary has said, after reports that a Russian warship has been escorting two sanctioned Russian ships through the English Channel.
In interviews this morning, Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, declined to confirm the reports directly. But the government has recently made clear that the armed forces have been authorised to board sanctioned Russian ships in British waters if needed to stop them.
Those ships are part of a fleet used to transport oil sold to help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine. The latest comments from ministers suggest the government sees the reported escort as evidence that its pressure on Russia is being noticed.
John Healey said sanctions and warnings that shadow fleet vessels may be boarded are making it harder for Russia to sell oil. He argued that if Putin feels the need to send a warship to escort tankers in the Channel, that suggests the UK’s approach is having an impact.
Asked about the reported escort, Cooper was careful not to confirm the detail. Instead, she pointed to the government’s decision to allow action against the Russian shadow fleet, saying operational decisions must then be made properly by the military.
“What I can tell you is that we have given permission now for action to be taken against the Russian shadow fleet,” she said. “Operational decisions then have to be taken in the right way by the military.”
She also said there are signs not only of how the Russian shadow fleet is operating, but of broader security pressures.
“There are indications of the way in which not just the Russian shadow fleet is operating, but also the way in which we are seeing increased Russian threats, not just to the UK, but across Europe as well,” she said.
The shadow fleet has become a growing focus for western governments as they try to limit Russia’s energy revenues while avoiding wider disruption to global shipping. The UK’s latest move to authorise boarding in British waters is intended to strengthen enforcement against vessels believed to be evading sanctions.
The reported presence of a Russian naval escort in the Channel has added a new dimension to that effort. While ministers have not confirmed the details of the specific incident, they are presenting it as a sign that Russia is reacting to the increased pressure.
Healey’s comments underline a broader theme in the government’s approach: that sanctions, enforcement measures and the threat of intervention at sea are beginning to change Russia’s calculations. At the same time, ministers are signalling that they expect Moscow to keep testing western resolve, both around UK waters and more widely across Europe.
