Day: March 25, 2026

The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense (HUR) and the Center for Countering Disinformation have published data on five more Russian individuals involved in disinformation campaigns aimed at justifying the war against Ukraine. — Ukrinform.

People look out at an oil tanker formerly known as the Bella-1, before it changed its name to the Marinera, from Hopeman Harbour, at sea in the Moray Firth, northern Scotland (Picture: AFP via Getty) The Royal Navy will start seizing Russia’s shadow fleet vessels when they slip through UK waters, the prime minister has announced. Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would join northern European allies in intercepting the tankers as part of a drive to ‘go after’ the sanction-breaking ships fuelling Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine. He said: ‘Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets. ‘That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine. ‘He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.’ Moscow’s shadow fleet is reported to be made up of more than a thousand ageing tankers. They illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the conflict began. Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tyne following the sanctioned Russian Ropucha-class warship, Aleksandr Shabalin, and cargo vessel MV Sabetta (Picture: MoD/PA Wire) Royal Marines from 42 Commando fast-rope from a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Sqn onto the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales (Picture: UK MOD Crown copyright) The prime minister said the move was intended to starve Putin’s war machine ‘of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine’ (Picture: EPA) The Prime Minister has given approval for the UK to start seizing shadow fleet vessels as he travels to Helsinki, Finland, for a summit with national leaders from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). The JEF, a military coalition of 10 northern European countries led by the UK, aims to defend against Russian incursions. It also includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships. In January, the UK assisted in the seizure of the oil tanker Marinera by the US. Previously known as the Bella-1, the Russian-flagged vessel was captured by American forces aided by RAF aircraft and the British supply ship RFA Tideforce in the Atlantic. Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would join northern European allies in intercepting the tankers as part of a drive to ‘go after’ the sanction-breaking ships (Picture: Anadolu via Getty) Later that same month, Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Dagger helped the French seize another sanctioned ship, the Grinch, in the western Mediterranean, shadowing the vessel through the Strait of Gibraltar. Last week, the French intercepted the Deyna oil tanker in the Mediterranean, supported by the UK. Libyan authorities have meanwhile towed a suspected shadow fleet oil tanker found drifting in the Mediterranean which was believed to have been hit in a drone strike. The tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas, was towed to avoid a spill in the Mediterranean. At the JEF summit, the Prime Minister and other leaders are expected to discuss shared security in the so-called High North and the war in Ukraine. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.

Moscow says it regularly conveys signals to Washington, criticizes Austrian move against Tass bureau chief as political censorship.