Kathrine Frich
Putin does not seem to care.
A warning from the British government was meant to signal a tougher stance on Russia’s maritime operations.
But weeks later, activity at sea suggests little has changed.
Unchanged traffic
According to Reuters cited by Caliber, nearly 100 vessels linked to Russia passed through UK waters in the month after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s March 25 announcement.
Tracking data from LSEG showed at least 98 sanctioned ships made the journey, a figure largely in line with previous months.
The findings suggest the warning has not reduced the movement of these vessels.
Many of the ships travelled through strategically important waterways.
A total of 63 vessels passed within 12 nautical miles of the UK coastline via the English Channel, a major shipping corridor.
Another 35 moved through Britain’s Exclusive Economic Zone, particularly around northern Scotland.
Shadow fleet role
The ships are part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” often linked to opaque ownership structures.
These vessels are commonly used to transport oil, grain and other goods tied to Moscow’s economic and military activities.
Western governments have sought to restrict their operations through sanctions.
Despite the policy shift, there has been no confirmed case of UK forces boarding or detaining any of the vessels.
“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,” said Elisabeth Braw of the Atlantic Council.
Other European countries, including France, Belgium and Sweden, have taken more direct action by stopping ships.
Evasive tactics
Data also showed some vessels attempting to avoid detection.
At least 10 ships were found to have engaged in “spoofing,” manipulating or disabling tracking systems during their journey.
Analysts say enforcement is complicated by legal and logistical barriers, as well as limited maritime enforcement capacity.
The UK has sanctioned more than 500 vessels linked to the shadow fleet, but policing such a large network remains difficult.
Russia has rejected the sanctions, calling them illegal and warning Britain’s actions could provoke retaliation.
Sources: Reuters, Caliber
