The UK government has put in place a legal framework that would allow the use of military force to detain vessels London considers linked to Russia’s so-called «shadow fleet,» according to the BBC.

The broadcaster reports that in recent weeks British officials have been examining possible courses of action and concluded that such operations could be carried out under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act adopted in 2018. This legislation is now being viewed as the key legal basis for expanding the authorities’ powers at sea.

Within the British government, the option of enforcing these provisions through the army and the navy is under discussion. Officials describe the approach as a tightening of measures against specific ships. At the same time, no clear timeline has been outlined for when London might actually resort to military involvement in seizing tankers that the UK leadership believes are transporting Russian raw materials.

Britain has previously acknowledged providing assistance to the United States, at Washington’s request, during the seizure of the Russian oil tanker Marinera, also known as Bella 1, in the Atlantic Ocean. That episode did not involve direct action by British troops. Instead, it consisted of pre-agreed operational support for US forces, including access to British bases. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Tideforce supported US military units, while the Royal Air Force carried out aerial reconnaissance.

Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Ministry urged Washington to return to what it described as the fundamental norms and principles of international maritime navigation and to immediately halt what it called unlawful actions against the Marinera and other vessels operating legally on the high seas.