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Russia: Shipping

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 26 June 2026UIN 11276

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of interdicting sanctioned Russian Shadow Fleet vessels in the English Channel under a) Article 19 or b) Article 21 of UNCLOS.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones

The Ministry of Defence continuously monitors maritime activity in UK waters. Any enforcement action is considered on a case‑by‑case basis. We will not provide details on our decision-making process as this could compromise our ability to successfully take action against sanctioned ships, only benefitting our adversaries.

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