First Russian shadow fleet vessel enters Channel since Smyrtos boarding
Key takeaways
- Forwarder, a Russian-flagged ship that left port in Primorsk last week, entered the Channel on Wednesday evening and sailed south.
- BBC Verify has approached the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for comment.
- Ship-tracking data appears to show a Royal Navy warship, HMS Tyne, operating in the area near the tanker's location.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Matt Murphyand Joshua Cheetham,BBC Verify BBCA Russian "shadow fleet" tanker has entered the English Channel for the first time since UK forces boarded the Smyrtos early on Sunday morning, ship tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify shows.
Forwarder, a Russian-flagged ship that left port in Primorsk last week, entered the Channel on Wednesday evening and sailed south. It is broadcasting its final destination as Dongying port in China.
UK-sanctioned shadow fleet vessels have avoided the Channel since British troops intercepted the Smyrtos, with tracking data showing a number of sanctioned ships altering course to avoid the waterway in the aftermath of the operation.