British armed forces provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.
The US Coast Guard stopped the tanker – which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine – on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington's efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.
Britain said its armed forces gave "pre-planned operational support, including basing" following a US request for assistance.
It said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.
In a post on X, the US military's European Command thanked the MoD for its "unwavering support" during the operation.
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The Marinera, a Venezuelan-linked tanker formerly known as the Bella-1, was not carrying any oil.
But the ship is alleged to be part of the shadow or "ghost" fleets used by Russia, Iran and Venezuela to avoid western sanctions.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the operation targeted a vessel "with a nefarious history" linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks.
“This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.
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He said British support was provided "in full compliance with international law", adding that the UK "will not stand by as malign activity increases on the high seas".
He added that the United States was the UK's closest defence and security partner: "The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today's seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice."
The Marinera has been under sanctions from the US treasury since June 2024.
The US accuses it of carrying illicit cargo for the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
(with newswires)
