Russian frigate escorts sanctioned tankers through English Channel

The Russian Black Sea Fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich escorted two tankers on the UK sanctions list, Universal and Enigma, through the English Channel, The Insider reported, citing tracking by The Telegraph. The transit came weeks after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that British forces could detain sanctioned vessels in UK territorial waters. According to the report, no such vessel has yet been detained, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Tideforce shadowed the Russian group. Analysts quoted by The Telegraph said more than 300 such tankers had passed through UK waters since the start of 2026 and that seizing them would demand significant resources.

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