Royal Marines Board Smyrtos in English Channel, Britain’s First Solo Seizure of a Russia Shadow Fleet Tanker (opens in new tab)

Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers boarded the Smyrtos in UK territorial waters on Sunday, detaining the Cameroon-flagged tanker that sailed from Russia's Ust-Luga terminal — the first operation of its kind Britain has led alone. What the seizure does not yet answer is what comes next for the vessel, its crew, and the 500 other sanctioned ships still moving through the same corridor.