Dozens of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK in response to Russia's war in Ukraine have sailed through the English Channel this month despite defense officials vowing to take assertive action.
Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used hundreds of aging tankers with obscured ownership - known as the shadow fleet - to evade sanctions on its oil exports.
The BBC understands that the UK government received legal assurances earlier this month that such vessels can be detained. Yet 42 sanctioned tankers tracked by BBC Verify passing through the English Channel did so after that advice was received.
Among them was the Sofos - a tanker sanctioned by the UK Foreign Office in May 2025. It moved through the Channel after traveling from Venezuela and is now near the Russian city of St Petersburg.
Ship-tracking data shows the Sofos loaded oil in Russia in mid-November, before traveling to Turkey and then to Venezuela, where it switched off its tracking signal. Satellite imagery later placed it at Venezuela's Jose oil terminal on 22 and 23 December, before its signal reappeared outside the country's waters on 26 December.
The Nasledie, another tanker that is over 20 years old, also entered the Channel in January. It was sanctioned by the UK in May 2025 and has been part of the shadow fleet since 2023.
Despite the UK receiving legal guidance to tighten sanctions against the shadow fleet, they have yet to stop any of the vessels. The British government has been called upon to ensure sanctions are effectively implemented. This is in the context of a wider effort to counteract Russia's economic support systems during the ongoing conflict.
Officials state that deterring the shadow fleet is a priority, yet many vessels continue to evade detection through various tactics, complicating enforcement efforts.
