The British government has effectively banned military operations to inspect and seize Russian vessels belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet." According to the authoritative publication The Telegraph, despite loud political declarations about introducing strict control measures, in practice the Royal Navy has received clear instructions not to board tankers. To date, not a single vessel carrying Russian oil products has been detained in British territorial waters, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the announced sanctions policy. This situation became particularly illustrative following the recent incident in the English Channel, when a sanctioned tanker passed through the strait unhindered, escorted by a Russian warship, while British forces merely conducted remote surveillance, refusing to intervene.

The main reason for London's hesitation is the lack of a clear legal framework and concerns about potential military escalation. Government sources explain that each such operation requires a separate and compelling legal justification, which the British services currently lack. Officials in Whitehall seriously fear that an attempt to forcibly seize a vessel escorted by a frigate could be considered an act of aggression and lead to a direct military confrontation in one of the world's busiest shipping corridors. Instead of decisive action at sea, London has initiated a series of protracted consultations with its allies in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to develop a common legal framework, effectively postponing any actual detentions indefinitely.