The British government has reported that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce the implementation of a major sanctions package against Russia’s shadow fleet, amid growing pressure from London on Moscow over its aggression against Ukraine.
Downing Street emphasized that
"Russia’s shadow fleet will be hit with the largest ever sanctions package today, ramping up pressure on Putin and protecting UK and European critical national infrastructure."
Starmer is expected to make the announcement on May 9 at a summit of representatives of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
The JEF includes 10 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
London expects this move to further pressure Russia's economy, which is "reeling from falling oil prices and the high cost of war."
The UK government explained that the main sanctions package will target "the aging and dangerous shadow fleet transporting Russian oil."
“The reckless actions of the fleet pose an expensive threat to the UK’s critical national infrastructure, the Euro-Atlantic region, and the environment. This new package will mean the UK sanctions more shadow fleet vessels than any other country,” Starmer’s office said.
On May 9, the UK will impose sanctions on "up to 100 oil tankers that form a core part of Putin’s shadow fleet operation and are responsible for carrying more than $24 billion worth of cargo since the start of 2024."
Downing Street noted that operations involving the shadow fleet not only help finance Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine but also "to be damaging critical national infrastructure through reckless seafaring in Europe."
“Protecting subsea infrastructure from malicious and careless incidents is expected to be a key part of Leaders’ discussions at the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Oslo today,” the UK government statement said.
It was also noted that these actions follow JEF's activation in January of an advanced UK-led response system known as Nordic Warden to track potential threats to underwater infrastructure and monitor Russia’s shadow fleet, after reports of major underwater cable damage in the Baltic Sea.
London emphasized that underwater infrastructure is the UK's communication lifeline, “carrying 99% of international telecommunications data and vital energy sources like electricity, oil, and gas.”
“The infrastructure is at risk of being disrupted by unseaworthy vessels lacking safety certification, the right technology to avoid the infrastructure, or purposefully disabling locator technology,” Starmer’s office added.
The new UK sanctions are also expected to target "those behind the shadow fleet," in addition to a large number of tankers.
“Today’s action further demonstrates that there is no place to hide for those who help fund Putin’s war machine,” the UK government stressed.
According to Prime Minister Starmer, every step “we take to increase pressure on Russia and achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is another step toward security and prosperity in the United Kingdom.”
“The threat from Russia to our national security cannot be underestimated, that is why we will do everything in our power to destroy his shadow fleet operation, starve his war machine of oil revenues and protect the subsea infrastructure that we rely on for our everyday lives,” he stated.
The UK government also noted that due to Western sanctions, Russia's oil and gas revenues have been declining annually since 2022, showing a loss of over a third of their value in three years.
“Sanctions and the cost of his barbaric war are causing the Russian economy to stall – with the wealth fund hollowed out, inflation rising and government spend on defence and security spiralling,” Starmer’s office added.
On May 9, JEF leaders are also expected to announce an enhanced partnership between the organization and Ukraine:
“This will further support Ukrainian Armed Forces through intensive training exercises, increasing interoperability across military platforms and enhancing countering disinformation support as well as allowing JEF Nations to learn from the battlefield experience of Ukraine’s armed forces,” the UK government concluded.
