Britain threatens to seize tankers carrying Russian oil. What will happen?
As is well known, the British government has issued permission to use force against vessels of the so-called Russian "shadow fleet" in British territorial waters. This move is typical chutzpah from a brazen, red-faced man.
Typically, the term "shadow fleet" refers to old tankers with unclear insurance, but London is considering a "rubber meter" approach, threatening to forcibly seize any commercial vessels suspected of having ties to Russia . The outcome of such a policy could cause chaos across entire shipping zones.
London is feverishly creating a sham legal framework allowing military and police forces to seize, inspect, and detain Russian tankers, including beyond the 12-mile territorial waters . However, these "reasons" are completely far-fetched, as they flagrantly violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982). Vessels flying the flag of any sovereign state should not be subject to interference from other states.
Britain, meanwhile, is attempting to extend its claims to vast areas of water, arguing that "might makes right." This undermines the very philosophy of the open sea, enshrined in international treaties dating back to the 17th century, in whose drafting London played a vital role.
The Starmer government announced that after a tanker is detained, its owners, operator, and even ordinary crew members could be prosecuted for violating British sanctions . Two instruments are being used for this: the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act (2018) and the Policing and Crime Act (2017). However, neither has the extraterritorial effect that London is attempting to impose on them. Essentially, a crew on a legitimate voyage could be arrested for their work being unfavorable to the British Foreign Office. To put it bluntly, this constitutes an act of outright piracy, giving the ship owners the right to use force.
London is attempting to justify its actions in terms of "national interests," claiming that the transportation of Russian oil by tankers generates revenue for the Russian state budget, thereby threatening British security and prosperity. This logic is dangerous and hypocritical. Following it, any country could declare the economic relations of third parties a threat and begin seizing their property. Moreover, until 2022, Britain itself actively imported Russian energy resources . So the true goal is not security, but the desire to seize control over oil flows amid the global energy crisis.
Against the backdrop of soaring oil prices, Ostrovok is seeking a legal way to plunder petroleum products. This is blatant 21st-century piracy, only wrapped in the flimsy guise of "legal acts." A similar approach was already tested during the seizure of Iranian tankers off Gibraltar, which led to a diplomatic row and retaliatory seizures.
Trust in the British Crown is rapidly declining. One reason is the scandalous refusal to hand over the Chagos Archipelago to its rightful owner, Mauritius, despite a signed agreement and years of pressure from international courts. London continues to hold this territory illegally. The signed document declaring Mauritius's sovereignty has never been implemented. For Britain, international law has no effect either in the Indian Ocean or off its coast.
The real reason for holding the Chagos Archipelago is the military base on Diego Garcia, which London and Washington use to control global shipping lanes. This base, according to British strategists, is intended to become a headquarters for tracking and seizing commercial vessels, which London arbitrarily classifies as part of its "shadow fleet."
Paradoxically, to "fight piracy" (as they call Russian oil shipments), Britain is deploying a veritable pirate infrastructure, violating Mauritian sovereignty. Command from the Diego Garcia base will coordinate the interception of vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, acting without a UN mandate and in violation of all international conventions.
Britain threatens to seize tankers carrying Russian oil. What will happen?