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Following the United Kingdom’s first detention of a Russian shadow-fleet tanker in the English Channel, several other oil tankers have begun altering their routes, according to The Insider, citing data from maritime monitoring service Starboard Maritime Intelligence, UATV English reports.
The tanker Lion I, sailing under the Cameroonian flag and heading from the Mediterranean toward the Atlantic, reportedly made a sharp turn before entering the English Channel and changed course toward Ireland. It is believed the vessel may attempt to bypass the British Isles through the North Atlantic. Its AIS destination is listed as “for orders,” making its final destination unclear.
Another tanker, C Viking, sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone, also unexpectedly altered its route in the North Atlantic and headed toward Ireland.
A third vessel, Sona, likewise sailing under the Sierra Leonean flag, changed course after departing the Gulf of Finland, reportedly from the Russian port of Vysotsk, while en route to Port Said. The vessel deviated from its planned route through the English Channel.
The tanker Maini, flying the Cameroonian flag, also altered its route. It had departed from Primorsk and was reportedly bound for Port Said, Egypt.
Several Russian-flagged vessels already under U.S. and EU sanctions, however, continue to transit the English Channel. These include the tanker Krasnoyarsk and the cargo vessel Adler.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Lion I participated in exports of Russian oil and petroleum products from the port of Primorsk during 2025. Since May 2025, the vessel has reportedly been owned and commercially managed by Seychelles-based Kario Maritime Inc., while technical management has been handled by a Chinese company, Mo Chou Hu Shipmanagement Co. The vessel is under sanctions imposed by the EU, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, and Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence also reports that C Viking transported Russian oil from Russian ports while disabling AIS tracking and conducting ship-to-ship transfers. The vessel reportedly visited the occupied Crimean port of Kamysh-Burun and is sanctioned by the UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and New Zealand.
Sona has been linked to exports of Russian oil and petroleum products from Russia’s Pacific ports. The vessel is reportedly connected to the Indian company Galena Ship Management, which is affiliated with Gatik Ship Management, one of the largest operators of Russia’s shadow fleet. Sona is sanctioned by the UK, EU, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Ukraine, and New Zealand. Ukraine additionally sanctioned the vessel’s captain in February 2026.
The route changes followed a British operation on the night of June 14, when military personnel and officers from the UK’s National Crime Agency boarded the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel. The vessel was detained and later anchored off England’s southern coast.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Smyrtos has been involved in transporting Russian oil and petroleum products since early 2025, primarily from the Far Eastern port of Kozmino. The tanker is under sanctions imposed by the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, and Ukraine.
The English Channel remains one of the most important maritime corridors for tankers exporting Russian oil from Baltic ports.
Earlier this month, French authorities escorted the Russian tanker Tagor to Douarnenez Bay in Brittany after it was detained on suspicion of sailing under a fraudulent Cameroonian flag and violating international sanctions against Russia.
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