Britain provided support to the US in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, the Defence Ministry said yesterday.
The US seized the tanker – which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine – yesterday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington’s efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.
Britain said its armed forces gave “pre-planned operational support, including basing” following a US request for assistance.
It said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the operation targeted a vessel “with a nefarious history” linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks. “This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.
He added that the US was Britain’s closest defence and security partner: “The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and the seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice.”
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