Written by Lisa Murimi
In a powerful show of defiance against Vladimir Putin’s brutal war on Ukraine, the UK is preparing to unleash a new wave of sanctions on a covert Russian tanker fleet accused of dodging international restrictions and funding the Kremlin’s war machine.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will announce the crackdown at a high-stakes summit in Oslo with leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a coalition of ten northern European nations united by one cause: standing up to Russian aggression.
Up to 100 Russian oil tankers — part of what is being called a “shadow fleet” — are now in the UK’s crosshairs.
These ships, masked by murky ownership and secretive routes, have carried over £18 billion in cargo this year alone, undermining sanctions and keeping Putin’s war alive.
“These aren’t just ships — they are lifelines to a regime that thrives on suffering,” a Downing Street source said.
“They’re dangerous, decrepit, and reckless — and they threaten our security and our seas.”
The UK will ban these vessels from its ports and allow them to be detained in its waters.
This move comes amid growing fears over sabotage, following the mysterious damage to a vital undersea cable in the Baltic.
Starmer vowed to act decisively: “We will destroy Putin’s shadow fleet, cut off his cash, and protect the infrastructure that keeps Europe safe. Peace for Ukraine means security for Britain.”
The JEF summit is expected to bring fresh pledges of military and humanitarian support for Ukraine — and a renewed sense of unity in the face of tyranny.
