Why isn't Britain detaining Russian tankers in the English Channel — The Telegraph
Despite the readiness of special forces, the British military is not intervening in the situation involving Russian tankers due to legal constraints. The main reason is the risk of violating international law.
The Royal Navy has not yet detained a single vessel from the so-called “shadow fleet,” as such actions could have legal consequences for the country.
This is reported with reference to The Telegraph.
Promises vs. Reality
Two weeks ago, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to “pursue” the Russian “shadow fleet.” However, as the publication found out, not a single vessel has been stopped.
Attorney General Lord Hermans provided a legal opinion stating that special forces and officers of the National Crime Agency (NCA) may board vessels in British territorial waters.
But such operations were not carried out due to concerns about violating international maritime law, which sets high legal standards for the inspection of foreign vessels.
For each potential operation, officials must provide a legal justification and prove that the vessel has violated British sanctions.
Russian ships and military escort vessels
The publication previously reported that Putin had sent a warship to escort sanctioned tankers through the English Channel.
On Thursday, April 9, three more Russian vessels passed through the strait, one of which was likely carrying cargo for the Russian armed forces.
The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich (armed with cruise missiles and anti-aircraft missiles) escorted two tankers. British ships merely observed.
Reactions from politicians and the military
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the situation “pathetic”:
“I don’t know why we aren’t stopping these ships that are violating sanctions. They are feeding Putin’s war machine and financing his slaughter of innocent Ukrainians. We have a wonderful opportunity to stop this,” he said.
Defense Minister John Gilley acknowledged that “there is more we can do,” but added that Russia’s decision to escort the tankers with a warship indicates that Britain is successfully diverting Putin’s resources away from Ukraine.
"We are ready. We have military options, and we are ready to act," Healy stated.
Britainhas deployed troops due to the threat of Russian attacks on undersea infrastructure.
Britain is convening 35 countries for talks on unblocking the Strait of Hormuz without the U.S.
British Ambassador to Ukraine Neil Crompton stated that the issue of using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine remains relevant.
