The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland detained the Smyrtos tanker in its waters, which operated on routes of Russia oil export and underwent a complete overhaul of ownership and management over the past year, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on Sanctions Policy, has said.
"After February 2025, the vessel changed its name from Myrtos to Smyrtos and its management structure. At various periods, Daira Shipping Ltd (Seychelles), Crest Maritime Pte Ltd (Singapore), and later Zhao Yao Shipping Ltd (Hong Kong) were involved, while the ultimate beneficiaries remain non-transparent. Crest Maritime also managed other tankers operating on the export of Russia oil after the introduction of sanctions and the G7 price cap," Vlasiuk said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Monday.
According to him, the vessel was involved in the system of Russia export, in particular from the port of Kozmino – one of the key export terminals of Russia for oil supplies to Asian markets. Vlasiuk added that this is the first time the United Kingdom has detained a tanker associated with the Russia shadow fleet in its waters.
"Smyrtos is a typical shadow fleet vessel: rapid changes of owners and operators, a non-transparent control structure, and continued operation despite sanctions. Such cases show that the sanctions regime works limitedly without physical control over shipping," Vlasiuk said.
He emphasized that Smyrtos repeatedly changed its flag, in particular operating under the registration of Cameroon, which is usually done to complicate control over the vessel and its previous operations. "Ukraine imposed sanctions against it in December 2025, and at the time of detention by Britain, the vessel already had the sanction status of the EU, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada. On June 5, Smyrtos loaded in Ust-Luga and set off with a course for Port Said (Egypt). For such a tanker, this is about 600,000 barrels of oil – the standard volume of one voyage," the advisor to the head of the Ukrainian state said.
Vlasiuk noted the active position of the United Kingdom: "In addition to sanctions work, the partners are moving to practical control in their own waters." "This is a response to cases of escorting shadow fleet tankers by Russian military forces, which created additional risks for the sanctions regime. Such an approach can set the tone for other partners in strengthening real, and not just formal, pressure," he said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom reported the detention by the British military on Sunday in the English Channel of the oil tanker Smyrtos from the Russia "shadow fleet," which was heading under the flag of Cameroon from a Russian port on the Baltic towards the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the ministry, as part of the operation, which lasted six hours, marines and officers of the National Crime Agency boarded the vessel with the support of the Royal Air Force. Helicopters, a patrol aircraft, and the Royal Navy ships HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury were involved in it. The tanker has been detained and will remain under surveillance off the south coast of England while the investigation continues, the defense ministry statement said.
In March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the British armed forces can now board sanctioned vessels passing through UK territorial waters.
