British armed forces detain a sanctioned oil tanker, the Smyrtos, in the English Channel, according to multiple reports. The British government says the vessel is suspected of being part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which is used to ship oil while seeking to evade international sanctions tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the operation involves investigating alleged sanctions violations. The tanker is boarded and detained by UK forces on Sunday, and it is held and monitored off the south coast of England while authorities carry out inquiries. Reports characterize the tanker as transporting oil in violation of sanctions, and they cite the detention as a UK-led operation of its kind. While all outlets describe the same detention and the suspected link to Russia’s shadow fleet, they differ only in emphasis and detail about the investigation, with some repeating government statements that the vessel is under monitoring pending further review.