According to reports, Russian-operated shadow tankers transporting millions of dollars worth of sanctioned oil are moving through the English Channel, prompting alerts about a potential military clash in NATO waters.
These movements occur against a backdrop of rising tensions between Russia and NATO, with the Royal Navy increasing its monitoring of vessels sanctioned by the U.S. and its allies in one of the globe’s most heavily trafficked sea lanes.
Sky News reported on Wednesday that up to 800 shadow tankers have transited the channel, continuing to finance Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine.
A number of oil tankers connected to Russia—such as the Rigel, Hyperion, and Kousai—have been tracked and are recognized as being under Western sanctions.
The news outlet stated that three of these vessels were observed this month while they were in transit carrying sanctioned crude oil.
The Rigel, an 885-foot Suezmax-class tanker flying a Cameroonian flag, departed from the Russian port of Primorsk on Feb. 2 with a load of up to one million barrels of oil, a shipment worth approximately $55 million.
Sanctioned by authorities, it is prohibited from utilizing port facilities in those jurisdictions but is still allowed “innocent passage” as per maritime law.
The Kousai, which sails under a Sierra Leonean flag, left Ust-Luga on Feb. 2 and was instructed by authorities to submit proof of insurance within a 24-hour period.
The Hyperion, also under U.S. sanctions, changed its flag registration in an effort to conceal ownership and avoid enforcement, according to reports.
Warnings have been issued about a growing risk in the area.
Professor Michael Clarke informed Sky News that a point may be reached where actions “get much tougher with these Russian ships,” noting that a “militarized confrontation at sea” this year is a genuine possibility, whether in the Channel or the North Sea.
A spokesperson for the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) stated: “Deterring and disrupting these activities is a priority for this government.
“In cooperation with our allies, we are intensifying our efforts—and as the Secretary of State outlined, we will persist in doing so,” the spokesperson added.
The MoD reported that it has demanded proof of insurance from more than 600 vessels since October 2024.
The U.S. has also adopted a firm position, targeting entities associated with sanctioned oil trades since December 2025, including several operations in the Caribbean.