Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper issued a warning over Russia's dark fleet, a network of decaying oil tankers flying under false flags to evade Western sanctions
17:00, 14 Jan 2026Updated 18:37, 14 Jan 2026
Britain stands ready to help allies intercept Russian shadow ships funding Vladimir Putin's war machine, the Foreign Secretary has said.
Yvette Cooper vowed to "tighten the chokehold" on Russia's dark fleet, a network of decaying oil tankers flying under false flags to evade Western sanctions. Britain wants more assertive action on these shadow vessels, she said, which are funnelling cash to the Kremlin to wage war against Ukraine, as well as damaging critical undersea cables.
British forces assisted the US in a dramatic raid to seize a Russia-linked tanker last month, which had been accused of breaching oil sanctions in Venezuela. While no British personnel have boarded any of these vessels yet, officials are believed to be examining the legal basis for the use of military force.
Today, Ms Cooper boarded a patrol vessel in Helsinki, where she met members of the Finnish Border Guard who mount a front-line defence against Russia along the country's 830-mile border.
The Turva patrol ship was involved in a raid on a Russia-linked vessel in December, which was accused of sabotaging critical undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. The Fitburg, a 132-metre cargo vessel, was sailing from St Petersburg to Haifa in Israel, under the flag of St Vincent and Grenadines.
Speaking to the Mirror, the Foreign Secretary said: "We've seen these Russian shadow fleet vessels going through our waters.
"They are undermining the sanctions on Russia. They're fuelling the war in Ukraine, and they're also causing all kinds of environmental damage and national security damage, including to undersea cables. That's why we want much more assertive action against the shadow fleet."
Asked if British forces could begin seizing ships, Ms Cooper said: "We stand ready to do enforcement operations, but we want to work with international partners on how we put much greater pressure on the shadow fleet."
She also called for an outright ban on the shipping of Russian oil to choke off the vital stream of funding to Moscow.
The UK is paying close attention to enforcement action by European allies against illicit vessels, including in the Baltic and off the French coast, Ms Cooper suggested.
Ms Cooper watched a dramatic demonstration on how the Finnish Border Guards seize vessels, which saw armed men rappel down from a helicopter and storm the ship. She was briefed by Mikko Simola, the Captain of the Coastguard, on the raid on the Fitburg last month.
It is understood that the raid, along with the arrest of the crew, is seen as a strong deterrent. Finland also has the power to intervene against rogue vessels with military force when it has cause to do so.
It comes after an alarming increase in Russian vessels menacing the UK in the last two years. Defence Secretary John Healey fired off a warning to Putin in November after the Yantar, a Russian spy ship, shone lasers at RAF pilots tracking its activity outside UK waters.
Ms Cooper said: "We've seen increasing cases of the Russian spy ship in UK waters alongside some of these shadow fleet vessels.
"We have made clear we are determined to tighten the chokehold on the Russian shadow fleet and on Putin's operations.
"We will not stand for anything that affects our national security that is taking place in UK waters."
The Foreign Secretary also held talks with Finland's President Alexander Stubb as she began a two-day visit to the region to tour the Arctic Circle. Security in the so-called High North has rocketed up the agenda after Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex Greenland.
The US President has claimed he needs to take control of Greenland - a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is one of America's NATO allies - to prevent Russia or China taking hold.