‘Zero’ ships seized, minister admits to LBC as UK accused of failing to act on Russian shadow fleet
Britain is already tracking Russian activity in its waters, the Housing Secretary has insisted, as pressure mounts on the Government to take tougher action against Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
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Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “We do have Royal Navy vessels. We saw recently, didn't we, there was that situation where there were Russian submarines over some very vital cables off the coast of Scotland. They didn't know that we were observing and watching them, but we were tracking what they were doing, making sure that they weren't causing harm to vital infrastructure in this country.”
His comments come as Ukraine’s top sanctions official challenged Sir Keir Starmer to match European allies by seizing Russian tankers suspected of helping fund Vladimir Putin’s war.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s commissioner for sanctions policy, told the Telegraph that Britain was failing to follow through on its promise to “go after” the vessels, despite hundreds being sanctioned.
“If France can seize sanctioned Russian tankers, so can Britain,” he said, pointing to operations by European allies who have already detained multiple ships.
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Nick pressed the minister on why the UK has yet to seize any sanctioned vessels, despite Keir Starmer previously pledging to “go after” the shadow fleet.
Asked how many ships Britain had detained compared to France, Mr Reed admitted: “Zero. I don't know the answer. Zero. Well, you know the answer to that, don't you?”
Nick said he did: “I know the answer.”
He went on: “Why has France seized four and the United Kingdom zero after the Prime Minister said we would, quote, go after the shadow fleet? Is it because we don't have any Royal Navy vessels that can do it?”
Mr Reed insisted the capability exists but declined to give operational detail, saying: “We will go after the shadow fleet… I don't know the operational details about what's being tracked where and when and when this will happen, but we certainly have the resources there to do it.”
Pushed further, Mr Ferrari told him: “That's just words, Secretary of State.”
Mr Reed responded: “No, well, let's wait and see what happens… we'll be tracking that shadow fleet, and when time is appropriate, action will be taken.”
Speaking at the Ukrainian embassy in London, Mr Vlasiuk warned that dozens of sanctioned vessels, including some suspected of carrying military supplies, had continued to pass through UK waters without intervention since Sir Keir authorised British forces to board them.
“The UK has already sanctioned about 600 vessels… at least half of those are still operational,” he said. “You have to make sure that the sanctions work and the next move is the seizure of the vessels. This is something we’d love to start seeing.”
With a wry smile, he added: “By the way, the French have already done it with three or four vessels, so I think the UK should catch up with the French.”
The UK, alongside the EU and the US, has imposed restrictions on more than 600 ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, an opaque network of tankers used to bypass sanctions and transport oil, grain and potentially weapons.
Despite these measures, analysts estimate the fleet still generates up to $100bn (£74bn) a year for Moscow, roughly equivalent to the level of international support received by Ukraine.
A Reuters analysis suggests the UK’s tougher stance has so far had little practical effect. In the month after Sir Keir’s March 25 announcement that Britain would board Russian vessels, at least 98 sanctioned ships passed through UK waters, broadly in line with previous months.
Tracking data shows 63 vessels travelled within 12 nautical miles of the English Channel coastline, while a further 35 passed through Britain’s Exclusive Economic Zone, particularly around northern Scotland.
There have been no public reports of any of the ships being boarded or detained.
Maritime security experts have warned the lack of visible enforcement risks undermining the policy altogether.
Elisabeth Braw, of the Atlantic Council, said: “You have to quickly follow up with boardings or otherwise those vessels will conclude that it was an empty threat, and that is the regrettable situation we are in now.”
Other European countries, including France, Belgium and Sweden, have already taken more direct action, boarding and detaining vessels suspected of breaching sanctions.
The UK’s more cautious approach has been linked to a range of challenges, including legal complexity, economic risks, and the absence of a dedicated law enforcement coastguard with the same powers as some European counterparts.
Britain’s naval capacity is also under strain, with the Royal Navy now the smallest it has been since the 17th century, while facing increasing demands from allies across Europe, the Arctic and the Middle East.
Data also suggests some vessels are actively attempting to evade detection, with at least 10 ships switching off or manipulating tracking systems while passing through UK waters.
The Kremlin has dismissed the sanctions as illegal and warned that Britain’s policy could provoke retaliation.