In a bold move to tighten economic pressure on Russia and protect vital European infrastructure, the United Kingdom will today unveil the largest-ever sanctions package targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers. The announcement will be made by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in Oslo.
This sweeping action, which aims to undermine Vladimir Putin’s war chest, is part of the UK’s broader strategic response to safeguard national security and maintain international stability. Up to 100 oil tankers—linked to transporting over $24 billion worth of Russian crude oil since the beginning of 2024—are expected to be sanctioned. These vessels are core assets in a covert maritime operation run by the Kremlin to circumvent international restrictions on its energy exports.
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According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the aging and poorly maintained vessels pose a grave danger not just economically but also to the environment and the region’s critical undersea infrastructure. Many of these tankers operate without valid safety certifications, use outdated navigation technology, or even deliberately disable tracking systems to move undetected.
“Every step we take to increase pressure on Russia and achieve a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine is another step towards security and prosperity in the UK,” said Prime Minister Starmer. “We will do everything in our power to destroy Putin’s shadow fleet, cut off his oil revenues, and protect the subsea infrastructure that our modern lives depend on.”
The sanctions follow mounting concerns about undersea security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force activated “Nordic Warden,” an advanced threat detection initiative, earlier this year after suspected Russian interference caused damage to a vital undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. The system now monitors 22 key maritime zones, including the North Sea, the Baltic, and the English Channel, from its operational headquarters in Northwood, UK.
Subsea infrastructure is central to the UK and European economies—carrying 99% of international telecommunications data and serving as critical arteries for electricity, oil, and gas. The new sanctions seek not only to cripple the Russian fleet but also to deter unsafe or hostile maritime activity that could threaten this essential infrastructure.
The UK’s action makes it the leading nation in sanctioning the Russian shadow fleet, ahead of all other allies. In addition to targeting the ships themselves, the sanctions are also expected to disrupt the networks and individuals behind the operation.
This economic pressure comes as Russia’s energy sector continues to feel the sting of Western sanctions. Since 2022, the Kremlin’s oil and gas revenues have fallen by over a third, with inflation rising, military spending ballooning, and the state’s wealth fund dwindling.
The Oslo summit also marks a significant step forward in UK-Ukraine cooperation. JEF leaders are expected to confirm a strengthened partnership with Ukraine, enhancing military training, strategic alignment, and efforts to combat Russian disinformation. This cooperation will allow JEF nations—comprising the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—to gain valuable battlefield insights and enhance defense capabilities.
In addition, the UK and Norway are set to sign a new memorandum of understanding on space domain awareness. This agreement aims to improve satellite tracking and intelligence sharing, protecting critical space-based infrastructure from debris and potential threats in Earth’s increasingly congested orbit.
This is Prime Minister Starmer’s second visit to Norway in recent months, following a December trip to Bergen to launch a UK-Norway Green Industrial Partnership. That initiative, formalized by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband earlier this week, is another signal of deepening cooperation between the two nations across multiple domains, from energy to defense to space.
With the announcement of today’s comprehensive sanctions package, the UK is sending a clear and resolute message: the days of unchecked Russian maritime evasion are over.
This article is originally published on: gov.uk
