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Russia: Tankers

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 2 July 2026UIN 12887

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consideration he gave to interdicting the sanctioned Russian vessel SMYRTOS during its transit of the channel on 24-25 May 2026.

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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