The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had the right to defend itself from what it called piracy after a British newspaper reported that a Russian navy frigate had escorted oil tankers sanctioned by Britain through the English Channel.
Ship tracking data analysed by Reuters showed the two vessels sanctioned by the British government mentioned in the Daily Telegraph report – Russian‑flagged Universal and the Cameroon‑flagged Enigma – crossed through UK waters between Wednesday and Thursday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last month that he had authorised the military to board and detain Russian ships in British waters to disrupt a network of vessels that his government says enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions over Ukraine. No such action has been taken so far.
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