Britain plans to send Russian money from the shadow fleet to Ukraine – how it will work

London is preparing an unprecedented move: oil confiscated from a Russian tanker shadow fleet can be turned into a direct source of funding for Ukraine's defense. This is not just about an economic blow to the Kremlin, but also about a new model where illegal Russian petrodollars will work against Russia.British The Times describes how this scheme will work. LIGA.net retells briefly.Storming of tankers to support KyivThe UK is considering plans to use oil seized from vessels of Russia's shadow fleet to finance Ukraine's war effort, a source in the British government said.It is planned that London will not only stop the flow of funds to the Russian military machine, but also redirect the money received from the sale of sanctioned oil to Ukraine."This will have a double impact on Russia's war machine – not only will we deprive them of their illegal military revenues, but we will also find a way to help finance the Ukrainian resistance," the source said.British special forces are preparing to storm vessels of Russia's shadow fleet as part of London's actions aimed at the Russian economy.Elite troops, trained to rappel from helicopters onto ships and capture their crews, could pursue hundreds of illegal oil tankers after the British government established a legal framework for such raids.Spring Fortune and Range Vale – when will this scheme start workingTwo shadow fleet vessels, Spring Fortune and Range Vale, which are under British sanctions, are already heading for the English Channel. So, the plan for seizures could start working this week.Both tankers are carrying oil and sailing under false flags – Cameroon and Zimbabwe – which makes them potential targets for raids by British special forces, in accordance with the sanctions and anti-money laundering law.Last May, the UK imposed sanctions against Spring Fortune for its involvement in activities aimed at destabilizing Ukraine or benefiting the Russian government. The vessel previously sailed under various names and flags of Greece, the Marshall Islands, Malta, and Panama.The tanker Range Vale exports oil from Russian ports, particularly in the Baltic Sea, and was sanctioned by the UK in 2024. It is linked to Radiating World Shipping Services, a UAE-based company under sanctions and considered one of the leading operators of the shadow fleet.The vessel also changed its name several times and sailed under the flags of the Cook Islands, Greece, Honduras, and Indonesia.Coordination within NATONATO representatives in the UK are monitoring at least three suspicious Russian oil tankers currently crossing the Atlantic.The tankers Vesna, Veronica III, and Bertha are sailing to Europe, which increases the likelihood of the UK's involvement in another operation to seize vessels.On Monday, the White Condor, a vessel sailing under the flag of Aruba, a Dutch territory in the Caribbean Sea, passed through the English Channel unhindered. Aruba does not have a shipping registry. Its government has confirmed that no Aruban flag is legal and has called on countries to initiate criminal proceedings if vessels under their flag enter their ports.The vessel has not undergone a port inspection since 2018, raising concerns about serious safety deficiencies and a high risk of an oil spill or accident.Arlo Abrahamson, head of public affairs for NATO's Maritime Command, said the Alliance "understands the unique nature of merchant shipping and works closely with allies to share analysis and information on vessels of interest.""Allies regularly coordinate efforts to ensure free and open sea lanes in the region, and so that we collectively respond to threats and challenges in the maritime sphere," says Abrahamson.Another NATO representative stated that the Alliance's navies conducted "maritime situational awareness activities" across the Euro-Atlantic region for member countries.Ships under the direct command and control of NATO do not typically conduct raids or interception operations.National authorities, most often the coast guard and marine police, with the support of their navies, will most likely be the entities that will board sanctioned vessels at the direction of their national and law enforcement agencies, the official said.The sanctioned Russian-flagged tanker Marinera, seized by the US with the help of the UK last week, is currently in the Moray Firth off the northeast coast of Scotland.Last Wednesday, U.S. Navy SEALs raided a vessel, formerly known as Bella 1, after it evaded U.S. authorities in the Caribbean and was fleeing to Russia across the Atlantic.In photos taken on Tuesday, the tanker, with tugboats and a U.S. Coast Guard vessel, was standing in a Scottish bay.The tanker and its crew may be replenishing supplies before a trip to the US, although the reason for the ship's stop off the coast of Scotland has not been stated."Deterring and disrupting Russia's shadow fleet is a priority for the UK. Together with our allies, we are strengthening our response to shadow vessels and will continue to do so," the British Ministry of Defence said.Read alsoTrump gave Greenland two months. Why the US is provoking a new crisis – in brief

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