Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has his department made of the potential impact of interdicting Russian shadow fleet vessels transiting the English Channel carrying diesel bound for the United States.

On 14 June, the UK interdicted the Shadow Fleet vessel SMYRTOS. Following this operation we have seen a significant diversion of Shadow Fleet vessels away from the English Channel owing to the risk of being interdicted.

Sanctions have denied Russia access to at least $495 billion since February 2022. The UK has sanctioned 640 Shadow Fleet vessels causing severe disruption, with many sanctioned tankers still unable to load or unload Russian cargo, thereby imposing additional costs on Russia's oil trade. We will not comment on future interdiction operations.