Officials expect Russia to retaliate for seizure of shadow fleet oil tanker

British officials expect Russia to retaliate after the Royal Marines seized the tanker Smyrtos, carrying Russian crude worth $40 million to India. The seizure occurred in the small hours of Sunday about 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight, under orders attributed to the British prime minister, Keir Starmer. The move targets Moscow’s shadow fleet, a roughly 600-strong network believed to account for a substantial share of Russia’s crude exports. Industry sources say there has been no formal warning to British captains or ship owners, though the UK Chamber of Shipping notes heightened vigilance. The Smyrtos had been monitored for days after being flagged under Cameroon’s flag, a registration that left it legally stateless. Its Indian captain has been charged with sanctions breaches. Separately, sailors on the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near a British yacht in the Channel. This seizure marks the first time British forces have detained a Russia-linked oil tanker and occurs amid broader pressure on Moscow over its shadow fleet, estimated at about 600 vessels that account for a large share of Russia’s crude exports, often operating under questionable flags and with weak environmental and safety records.