UK Prime Minister Starmer vows Putin will face accountability.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not avoid accountability.

Starmer made the statement on Sunday after British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow‑fleet oil tanker in the English Channel that same day.

"Despite Putin’s best efforts to evade sanctions, we will not let him get away with it," Starmer said, sharing a video of the operation conducted by British forces.

The six‑hour operation involved Royal Marine Commandos, officers from the National Crime Agency, and support from the Royal Air Force.

Starmer had earlier said that the operation sent a clear message to those facilitating Russia’s oil exports.

Western officials say the shadow fleet consists of more than 700 vessels that are allegedly used to bypass international sanctions on Russian oil exports.

Recall that the United Kingdom imposed extensive sanctions on Russia after its full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including transport measures that ban Russian aircraft, shipping, and aviation services from UK airspace and ports.