UK and partners discuss legal framework for military action against Russia’s "shadow fleet"
The United Kingdom has convened a meeting of experts from partner countries that are part of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to discuss the legal framework for military action aimed at countering the activities of Russia’s "shadow fleet".
The British government reported this, Censor.NET informs.
What is known
UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Attorney General Richard Hermer met with legal representatives of the JEF to discuss actions against Russia’s "shadow fleet", which finances the war in Ukraine by circumventing sanctions.
The discussion focused on the legal framework for military action to counter the activities of Russia’s "shadow fleet" — a network of vessels used to evade sanctions and finance the illegal war waged by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin against Ukraine.
"Deterring, disrupting and degrading Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ is a priority for this government — starving Putin’s war machine and putting pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine," the British government added.
Russia’s shadow fleet: what is known
As of early 2026, efforts to counter Russia’s "shadow fleet" have entered a phase of active economic and sanctions pressure. Key facts include:
"Shadow fleet" — a network of more than 1,000 tankers (mostly aging vessels) with opaque ownership structures used by Russia to export oil in circumvention of the G7 price cap ($60 per barrel). These ships often sail under "flags of convenience (FOC)" (Cameroon, Gabon, Palau and others) and lack Western insurance coverage.
Sanctions and pressure
- Large-scale sanctions package by Ukraine: On 21 February 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees imposing sanctions on 91 vessels and 225 captains operating shadow fleet tankers. They are citizens of 11 countries, including India and the Philippines.
- UK strike: On 25 February 2026, London announced its largest sanctions package targeting the "2Rivers" network — one of the world’s largest operators of the shadow fleet. Restrictions were imposed on 175 companies and 48 tankers.
- Military pressure: There have been reports of tankers being intercepted by the naval forces of France and the United States. In particular, in January 2026, the French Navy detained the tanker Grinch in the Alboran Sea on suspicion of sailing under a FOC.
- SBU drones: Cases have been recorded of Ukrainian drones attacking shadow fleet tankers (Virat, Kairos) in the Black Sea and even the Mediterranean Sea, creating additional risks for Russia’s logistics.
