Putin’s shadow fleet entering UK waters without punishment
Shadow fleet has crossed British waters ‘daily’ since new intercept measures, minister admits
Sixty-three sanctioned Russian vessels have transited British waters since March, despite new Ministry of Defence powers aimed at tackling Russia‘s ‘shadow fleet’.
Minister for Armed Forces Alistair Carns admitted that none of these vessels have been intercepted, citing unique legal and policy parameters for each sanctioned vessel.
The government introduced new powers in March, authorising armed forces to board sanctioned boats in British waters, following growing concerns over Russian incursions.
Separately, a Russian attack submarine and two spy submersibles were tracked over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic for a month, raising further security concerns.
The Ministry of Defence asserts it is actively disrupting and deterring shadow fleet vessels, having challenged over 700 suspected vessels since October 2024.
