Putin won’t escape accountability – UK Prime Minister, Starmer vows

United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has vowed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not escape accountability.

Starmer made this vow on Sunday after British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday.

“Despite Putin’s best efforts to evade sanctions, we will not let him get away with it,” Starmer said, sharing a video of the operation carried out by British forces.

The six-hour operation involved Royal Marine Commandos, officers from the National Crime Agency, and support from the Royal Air Force.

Starmer had earlier stated that the operation sent a direct message to those facilitating Russia’s oil exports.

According to Western officials, the shadow fleet comprises over 700 vessels allegedly used to circumvent international sanctions on Russian oil exports.

Recall that the United Kingdom had imposed extensive sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including transport measures banning Russian aircraft, shipping, and aviation services from UK airspace and ports.