In this photo released by the Royal Navy, Royal Marines commandos detain the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel on Sunday, June 14, 2026. LPhot Hutchins/British Royal Navy via AP United Kingdom armed forces approached and detained this Sunday (14) an oil tanker suspected of being part of the so-called "ghost fleet" used by Russia to transport oil in violation of international sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. 📱Bookmark g1 on Google and follow the main news of the day The operation was carried out in the English Channel by commandos from the British Royal Navy, who descended from helicopters onto the vessel, named Smyrtos. According to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense, this was the first action of its kind led by the country. Following the interception, the ship was taken to the south coast of England, where it will remain detained and under monitoring while authorities conduct an investigation. The British government stated that the operation took place in close coordination with French authorities, who had previously accompanied vessels linked to the so-called "ghost fleet". 🔎 The so-called "ghost fleet" is a network of hundreds of tankers used by Russia to transport oil and oil products despite sanctions imposed by Western countries after the invasion of Ukraine. Many of these vessels operate with opaque ownership, change flags frequently and adopt strategies to make tracking their cargo difficult. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move represents yet another blow against Moscow. "This operation deals another blow to Russia and reminds those who help finance Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine that they cannot hide," he declared. Now on g1 Western countries believe that Russia uses hundreds of ships to circumvent economic sanctions and continue exporting oil, an important source of revenue to finance the war. According to maritime monitoring website MarineTraffic, the Smyrtos was sailing under the flag of Cameroon. The vessel left the Russian port of Ust-Luga, in the Baltic Sea, on June 5 and was destined for Port Said, Egypt. In a statement, British authorities stated that operations of this type directly affect the resources that support the Russian offensive in Ukraine and reduce Moscow's ability to threaten the security of Europe and other regions. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the British government and the people of the United Kingdom for what he called their "principled firmness." "It was Russia's arrogance, fueled by high oil and gas revenues, that paved the way for this war. Every decision by partners that deprives Russia of financial resources also limits the war itself," Zelensky wrote on the X social network. The Ukrainian leader also called for tougher measures against Russian oil shipping. "Europe urgently needs to adopt legislative measures that allow not only the detention of oil tankers and restrictions on oil transport, but also the confiscation of the cargo they transport," he said. In this photo released by the Royal Navy, Royal Marines commandos detain the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel on Sunday, June 14, 2026. LPhot Hutchins/British Royal Navy via AP