Despite the current strain in relations between the two countries over the issue of Greenland, the UK Ministry of Defence has announced that the British Armed Forces provided support to the United States in the seizure of the Russian tanker Bella 1 in the North Atlantic. The operation was carried out at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice and was led by the United States Coast Guard. In particular, British involvement took place from the planning stage onward and was later reflected in surveillance tasks using unspecified aerial assets, as well as in the deployment of the logistics support vessel RFA Tideforce.
Commenting on the matter, UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated: “Our UK Armed Forces demonstrated skill and professionalism in supporting the successful U.S. interception of the vessel Bella 1, which was heading to Russia. This action formed part of global efforts to combat sanctions evasion. This ship, with a notorious history, is part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion that fuels terrorism, conflict and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine. The UK will continue to step up its actions against shadow fleet activity to protect our national security, our economy and global stability, making Britain safe at home and strong abroad.”
Further elaborating on this line, the ministry indicated that Bella 1 had been sanctioned by Washington as part of efforts to limit Iranian oil trade, which is believed to reduce resources used to finance terrorist activities in the Middle East. In this regard, London claims to possess reports dating back several years that identify the Russian vessel as part of a shadow fleet linked to Hezbollah and other international criminal groups.
In addition, the UK has echoed the U.S. version regarding attempts by the tanker to change its flag and name at sea in an effort to mislead those tracking it. Specifically, it was reported that the vessel originally sailed under a Guyanese flag, which was later replaced by a Russian one, while the name Bella 1 was subsequently changed to Marinera. Along the same lines, the ship allegedly attempted to switch off its transponders to prevent detection and tracking, a measure that ultimately proved ineffective.
Finally, it should be noted that this is by no means the only Russian vessel subject to sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom, but rather part of a much broader “ghost fleet,” currently estimated to comprise around 520 ships. In this context, London stated that it has managed to reduce Russia’s oil revenues from maritime trade by up to 27 percent compared to October 2024 levels. In a subsequent statement, the Ministry of Defence even asserted that this represents the lowest level since the start of the war in Ukraine.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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