On January 23, 2026, multiple shadow fleet tankers suspected to be Russian sanctioned vessels navigated through the English Channel and the Danish Straits in significant numbers. There is uncertainty whether these tankers are flagged or flagless, but they pose a challenge to maritime security. One vessel, the false-flagged Putin-tanker ‘AETHER,’ was confirmed entering the Baltic Sea. The UK has promised tougher enforcement against such vessels, but under international law, navies lack clear legal grounds to stop or inspect these ships. This ongoing activity indicates a pattern of naval intimidation and sanction evasion in key European maritime chokepoints.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure
Incident Type: Naval intimidation / close approaches
Country: United Kingdom
Source report: skywriter.blue/pages/did…
