In a landmark and history-making operation that signals a dramatic escalation in Britain's willingness to confront Russia's sanctions-busting shadow fleet with direct military force, Royal Marine Commandos executed a daring and flawlessly coordinated boarding of the sanctioned Russian oil tanker SMYRTOS in the English Channel — the first UK-led operation of its kind ever conducted. The scale and firepower assembled for the mission left absolutely no doubt about how seriously Britain is taking the threat posed by Moscow's shadow network: the commandos were backed by not one but two Royal Navy warships, HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury, with an RAF Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft providing eyes in the sky overhead. The SMYRTOS is now being held off the south coast of England as authorities launch a full investigation into the vessel and the wider sanctions evasion network it was serving.