UK to sanction Putin’s 'Shadow Fleet' in new crackdown on Russian oil exports

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil fresh sanctions targeting up to 100 Russian oil tankers used to evade international restrictions, in a bid to cut off funding for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

The UK will announce new sanctions against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, which have reportedly carried more than £18 billion worth of cargo in 2024 alone. The move aims to disrupt clandestine Russian energy exports that continue to fund the Kremlin’s war machine despite existing international sanctions.

Prime Minister Starmer will deliver the announcement at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, where he will meet with leaders from nine other north European nations, including Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Downing Street accused the shadow fleet of "bankrolling the Kremlin's illegal war in Ukraine" and warned that the vessels—many of which are described as “decrepit and dangerous”—pose serious environmental and maritime safety risks. The operation has also been linked to recent incidents, including damage to an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

Under the new measures, these tankers will be banned from entering British ports and may be detained if found in UK waters. The action builds on earlier sanctions against 133 Russian-linked vessels announced during a JEF meeting in December 2024.

"Every step we take to cut off Putin’s illicit oil revenues is a step towards peace in Ukraine and security at home,” Starmer said. “We will do everything in our power to destroy this shadow fleet operation and protect subsea infrastructure.”

Members of the JEF are expected to announce additional support for Ukraine as the war nears its third year, with Western allies seeking to tighten economic pressure on Moscow while bolstering Kyiv's defense.

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