British forces intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the English Channel on June 14, 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed.
The vessel, identified as the Andromeda Star, was carrying a cargo of crude oil and was believed to be part of a network of ships used to evade Western sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Royal Navy personnel boarded the tanker in international waters near the Channel, according to a defence ministry statement. The operation was conducted under new UK legislation targeting vessels involved in sanction-busting activities.
No further details on the crew or the ship's destination were immediately released. The interception marks the first such action by UK forces against Russia's shadow fleet in the English Channel.
