A ‘zombie’ Russian vessel has been sighted navigating through the English Channel shortly after British and US forces confiscated a ship believed to be violating sanctions. The oil tanker, known as Tavian, is currently on a course towards Finland, about 20 miles north of Guernsey, as per ship tracking data. Tavian is suspected to be part of Vladimir Putin’s ‘shadow fleet’ used to circumvent restrictions on Russian oil trade, having been sanctioned by the US in 2024.
Last month, the same vessel was observed passing through the Baltic Sea near the German coast, marking the first such attempt by a Russian ship. Following this incident, a member of Keir Starmer’s cabinet expressed Britain’s readiness to support the US operation that seized a Russian tanker in the North Atlantic. The ship, Marinera, was described as part of the shadow fleet financing Russia’s activities in Ukraine.
The UK’s involvement in combating Russian sanctions evasion was emphasized, with RAF surveillance aircraft and the naval supply ship RFA Tideforce assisting in the operation to capture the tanker in the Atlantic. US special operations aircraft were deployed in Scotland for the mission, while Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed no British personnel participated in the boarding.
The ship, previously named Bella 1 and linked to Venezuela, was intercepted between Iceland and Scotland during its journey northeast. The US military’s European Command expressed gratitude to the UK for its support during the operation. Douglas Alexander reiterated the importance of international cooperation to curb Russian efforts in evasion, emphasizing the need to disrupt channels financing Russia’s military activities.
The UK government’s commitment to preventing illegal funding of conflicts globally, including in Ukraine, was underlined. Cooperation with allies to counter Russian sanction-busting activities was deemed crucial, with a focus on shutting down channels financing Putin’s military endeavors. Authorities are actively seeking ways to address the financial support sustaining Russia’s war efforts.
