The UK has provided enabling support to the United States at
their request to interdict the vessel Bella 1 today.
UK Armed Forces provided pre-planned operational support,
including basing, to U.S. military assets interdicting the Bella
1 in the UK-Iceland-Greenland gap following a U.S. request for
assistance. RFA Tideforce provided support for U.S. forces
pursuing and interdicting the Bella 1, while the RAF provided
surveillance support from the air.
The UK and U.S. defence and security relationship is the deepest
in the world and the UK provided enabling support in full
compliance with international law.
Defence Secretary MP said:
“Today our UK Armed Forces showed skill and professionalism in
support of a successful U.S. interception of the vessel Bella 1
while on its way to Russia. This action formed part of global
efforts to crack down on sanctions busting.
“This ship, with a nefarious history, is part of a
Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fuelling
terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine.
“The UK will continue to step up our action against shadow fleet
activity to protect our national security, our economy, and
global stability – making Britain secure at home and strong
abroad.
“The U.S. is the UK's closest defence and security partner. The
depth of our defence relationship with the U.S. is an essential
part of our security, and today's seamlessly executed operation
shows just how well this works in practice.”
The Bella 1 is sanctioned by the U.S. under its counter-Iran
sanctions, aimed at stopping Iran from fuelling instability in
the Middle East through the profits of illegal oil sales.
The ship, initially flying a false flag, turned off its
transponders while at sea and sought to reflag while being
pursued, indicating its nefarious links to global sanctions
evasion.
Recent assessments show that the Bella 1 has been involved in
illegal activity, linked to international terrorism and crime
including Hezbollah, and part of the web of rising shadow
activity that fuels and finances nefarious activity across the
globe.
The Russian flagging of the vessel shows their role in this
interconnected shadow activity we are seeing across the world,
which threatens our national security, harms our economy and
undermines global security.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a
priority for the UK. To date, we have imposed sanctions on 520
Russian shadow fleet vessels.
- This is working. For example, Russia's critical oil revenues
are down 27% compared to October 2024, the lowest since the start
of the war in Ukraine.
