Labour Party chief offers replace on Russian shadow fleet after ‘zombie’ ship noticed
Anna Turley said the Government is monitoring everything Russia does in UK waters after a ‘zombie’ oil tanker, part of Putin’s shadow fleet, was spotted in the Channel on Thursday
The head of the Labour Party has warned Vladimir Putin that the Government is monitoring everything Russia does in UK waters after a “zombie” ship was spotted in the Channel.
Anna Turley said Keir Starmer is working with allies – saying she is proud of the work he is doing on the international stage. An oil tanker, named Tavian, was seen 20 miles north of Guernsey on its way towards Finland in the early hours of the morning, according to ship tracking data.
Tavian is suspected to be part of Vladimir Putin’s ‘shadow fleet’ – used to evade restrictions on the trade of Russian oil.
READ MORE: MPs demand USA is kicked out of World Cup over Donald Trump ‘lawbreaking’READ MORE: Nigel Farage savaged for ‘parroting Kremlin lines’ after Ukraine vote vow
Labour Party chair Ms Turley told Sky News: “Obviously, the government can monitor everything that’s happening in the waters around us. And I’m really proud to see in Keir Starmer out this week, working across the coalition of the willing, supporting Ukraine, working internationally.
“And I’m very proud of the leadership that we’ve got on the global stage, which we’ve been lacking, frankly, in recent years. So, of course, we’ll monitor that situation. We’re working closely with our partners to make sure that we maintain international law and that we will do everything we can to ensure that citizens are safe and we monitor everything that Russia is doing in these waters.”
It came less than 24 hours after the UK provided support for the United States in seizing a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said the Marinera ship was “part of the shadow fleet that funds Russia ‘s war effort in Ukraine”.
He insisted it is “right and reasonable” that the UK works with its international allies – such as the US – to tackle Russian attempts to get around sanctions. RAF surveillance aircraft and a naval supply ship, RFA Tideforce, provided assistance to the operation to capture the ship in the Atlantic on Wednesday.
As part of the operation, US special operations aircraft landed at Wick John O’Groats airport in the Scottish Highlands before flying further north. No British personnel took part in the boarding of the vessel, Defence Secretary John Healey told MPs on Wednesday evening.
The Venezuelan-linked vessel, previously known as the Bella 1, was seized as it travelled north and eastwards through the waters between Iceland and Scotland. Following the operation, the US military’s European Command posted on social media thanking the UK for its “unwavering support” in the operation.
Mr Alexander told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme the ship was designated a stateless vessel under international law, and it had turned off its transponders. He said: “This ship is part of the shadow fleet that funds Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
“As a UK Government and as the United Kingdom, our national interest is served by avoiding the illegal fuelling of terrorism, of conflict and of misery, whether in Ukraine, the Middle East or anywhere else. So when we were asked by the United States to provide operation assistance, including basing an air surveillance support, we were absolutely willing to step up.
“I think it is right and reasonable we work with our allies to confront the attempt to sanction bust that we are witnessing from the Russians on a regular basis.”
He said authorities in the UK and elsewhere “continue to look to how we can close down those channels of financing that are funding Putin’s war machine”.
