- Sixty-three sanctioned Russian vessels have transited British waters since March, despite new Ministry of Defence powers aimed at tackling Russia 's 'shadow fleet'.
- Minister for Armed Forces Alistair Carns admitted that none of these vessels have been intercepted, citing unique legal and policy parameters for each sanctioned vessel.
- The government introduced new powers in March, authorising armed forces to board sanctioned boats in British waters, following growing concerns over Russian incursions.
- Separately, a Russian attack submarine and two spy submersibles were tracked over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic for a month, raising further security concerns.
- The Ministry of Defence asserts it is actively disrupting and deterring shadow fleet vessels, having challenged over 700 suspected vessels since October 2024.
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