Russian Vessels Keep Sailing Past UK Waters Despite New Threat

A week after Britain’s Prime Minister told the armed forces it could board Russian ships that violate sanctions, data shows at least 25 of those vessels still travel through UK coastal waters. The move was meant to push the ships onto longer routes, but the numbers have not dropped. The UK has listed 544 Russian tankers as part of a “shadow fleet” that helps Moscow fund its war in Ukraine. These ships are banned from UK ports and can be seized, yet the Ministry of Defence says it will only act on a case‑by‑case basis and has not yet boarded any of them. Experts warn that the decision to threaten boarding could backfire. A former naval officer explained that targeting ships selectively would be difficult, legally risky, and might bring the country closer to conflict. He added that the government hopes the threat will deter Russia, but it is unclear how effective it will be.

Legal scholars point out that the UK has few solid grounds to detain foreign vessels. The only clear options are a United Nations Security Council sanction, which does not exist for these ships, or treating the seizure as a countermeasure against Russia’s war. Both arguments are untested and could be challenged in court. Other European states, such as France, Belgium and Sweden, have already boarded some of these tankers to disrupt the network. In contrast, a recent US administration briefly relaxed sanctions on Russian oil to ease price pressures. The UK’s stance appears cautious. While it signals readiness to act, the lack of concrete moves has led some analysts to say Britain is playing “half‑in” and that a firm decision—either fully enforcing or abandoning the sanctions—is needed to maintain credibility.

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