Captain of Russian shadow fleet tanker charged with contravening sanctions

The captain of a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker has been charged with contravening sanctions. Ajay Pant, 38, an Indian national, is accused of delivering prohibited Russian oil to a third country in June 2026. The MoD says Royal Marines and NCA officers boarded the Smyrtos in a six-hour operation.

Video shows officers fast-roping from a CH-47 Chinook to search cabins and inspect paperwork. The vessel remains at anchor off Weymouth, with 24 Georgian and Indian crew members assisting the investigation. Britain says Moscow’s shadow fleet includes over a thousand aging tankers that evade sanctions by flying foreign flags.