UK considers using oil from Russia's shadow fleet to support Ukraine, says The Times

The United Kingdom is considering plans to use oil seized from vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet to finance military support for Ukraine. Moscow has used the fleet to circumvent Western restrictions on its energy sector imposed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Source: The Times, citing a UK government source, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Under the options being discussed, London could not only stop the flow of funds to Russia's war machine but also redirect money raised from sanctioned oil to Ukraine. It is not yet known whether such a plan is feasible.

The source said that this would have a double impact on Russia's war machine, as it would not only deprive Russia of illegal war revenues but also help find a way to finance Ukraine's resistance.

The Times reported on Tuesday that British special forces are being lined up to storm Russian shadow fleet vessels in a move designed to pressure the Russian economy.

Elite troops trained to descend from helicopters onto ships and seize their crews could target hundreds of illegal oil tankers after the government established a legal basis for such raids.

Two shadow fleet vessels sanctioned by the UK – Spring Fortune and Range Vale – are heading towards the English Channel and are expected to enter the strait around midday on 14 January.

Both oil tankers are sailing under false flags of Cameroon and Zimbabwe, making them potential targets for British special forces operations under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Spring Fortune was sanctioned by the UK in May 2025 for involvement in activities aimed at destabilising Ukraine or benefiting the Russian government. It has previously operated under various names and flown the flags of Greece, the Marshall Islands, Malta and Panama.

Range Vale is involved in exporting oil from Russian ports, particularly in the Baltic Sea, and was placed under UK sanctions in 2024. It is linked to Radiating World Shipping Services, a UAE-based company reportedly among the leading operators of the shadow fleet that is itself under sanctions. The vessel has also repeatedly changed its name and flown the flags of the Cook Islands, Greece, Honduras, Indonesia and Niue.

Reports say NATO representatives in the UK are monitoring at least three other suspected Russian oil tankers crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Background:

• In January, British forces supported US efforts to detain the Russian-flagged tanker Bella 1 (Marinera) in the North Atlantic, including through the use of Royal Air Force aircraft.
• In December, the UK expanded its sanctions against Russia to cover 24 new entities and individuals, including additional oil companies.

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