UK commandos storming Russian 'shadow fleet' will escalate Kremlin tension

UK commandos storming Russian 'shadow fleet' will escalate Kremlin tension UK takes armed action against Kremlin shadow fleet, signalling a serious ratcheting up of growing tensions between Britain and Vladimir Putin's Kremlin - a significant moment in the conflict The Royal Marines storming of the would-be sanctions-buster ship Smyrtos is likely to be the first of many such operations and hugely ramps up pressure on the Kremlin. Not only is it the first time a maritime interdiction of this kind has been executed but it may be the first time regular armed UK forces have operated overtly against Russia. It serves as a message to Russia that enough is enough but it is also a close- quarters armed confrontation between the UK and the Kremlin, albeit at arms-length. Of course the Kremlin will lie, deny and object to the operation with some grand announcement, perhaps accompanied by the Vladimir Putin trademark smirk. These highly-trained elite commandos had a detailed idea what they were going into but not entirely and they could not have been absolutely sure there would not be a fight. And their operation, involving RAF spy planes, helicopters two warships, NCA officers and scores of Royal Marines of 42 Commando will come at a price. It was high-risk, as commandos wearing night-vision goggles and heavily-armed hurtled towards the target vessel just above the sea surface before looming upwards and descending on the Smyrtos meant a lot could go wrong. It is impossible to imagine the Kremlin will allow such a blow to go un-revenged, perhaps with a “grey-zone” cyber attack or similar against the UK. Whatever the Kremlin does will be below the threshold for war with the UK but in so many ways we are already in a conflict with Russia. People have been murdered by Putin’s spooks on UK soil, countless cyber attacks have been launched against us and the risk of Russian interference accelerates almost daily. It is believed there are some 500 such “shadow fleet” Russian vessels entirely kitted out for dodging extensive sanctions on Moscow’s international trade. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s appalling war on Ukraine and the warchest that pays for it has been largely funded by his “shadow fleet” smuggling contraband oil globally. Intelligence officials believe it pays for roughly 75% of Russian trade, all of which may have in the past several years been paying for the incredibly costly full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Very importantly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been calling for these operations for months and welcomed it, saying it was “an important step.” There’s a not-so hidden message in his words - he means he hopes it is the first of many required operations of this kind to leverage against the Kremlin’s war on his country. Officials have been quick to say the operation has been weeks in the planning, although it only left the Russian Ust-Luga terminal in St Petersburg on June 5, according to sources. It has only been underway for a matter of days and it is a timely UK gets-tough diversion from the furore over the resignation of ex-Defence Secretary John Healey and Minister Al Cairns. Notably Cairns, a former Special Boat Service marine, has already opined on the operation, saying more will follow “should the opportunity present itself.” It is possible the National Crime Agency, who played a major role in the operation, had intelligence that the Smyrtos would travel soon before it set sail. A maritime interdiction of this kind has been planned for some time, ever since Prime Minister Keir Starmer in March said he had given permission for such operations to take place. And Zelensky’s “important step” announcement also suggests it is not before time since some 200 such ‘shadow fleet’ vessels have passed through UK waters since Starmer’s announcement the operations had been given the government thumbs up. Tensions between Russia and the UK have been wound up further and something will give eventually - and Putin’s Kremlin will keep prodding our defences.