UK Holds Back on Seizing Russian Tankers Over High Costs

The UK’s Royal Navy has not detained any sanctioned Russian oil tankers so far, mainly because of the high costs involved in keeping them.

According to The Times, berthing and maintaining these vessels could cost tens of millions of pounds, slowing down Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to crack down on Russia’s ‘shadow fleet.’

Meanwhile, as British special forces and the National Crime Agency wait for procedures to be approved, sanctioned Russian tankers continue to pass through the English Channel escorted by Russian Navy warships.

At present, the United Kingdom plays a largely supporting role in international operations, supplying intelligence and support vessels to the United States and France.

Officials cite the vessel MV Matthew, detained by Ireland in 2023, as an example – its upkeep and security have already exceeded $12 million.

An additional deterrent factor has been concerns from the Foreign Office and the Home Office about possible asylum requests from Russian mercenaries serving as part of ship crews.

As previously reported, Norway and the United Kingdom carried out an operation to detect and push back Russian submarines in northern maritime regions.