Moscow, August 4, 2025 (Agencies) — Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused the United Kingdom of orchestrating a covert plan to sabotage tankers linked to Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet,” alleging that London intends to use NATO allies to justify emergency inspections and secondary sanctions on Russian energy exports.
According to a statement released by the SVR, British intelligence agencies are allegedly preparing two “casus belli” scenarios designed to provoke international backlash against Russian oil transport. The first involves staging an accident involving a targeted tanker in a strategic maritime chokepoint, causing an oil spill and blocking shipping lanes. The second envisions a fire during loading operations at a port in a Russia-friendly state, with the aim of damaging infrastructure and triggering a multinational investigation.
The SVR claims that Ukrainian special forces have been tasked with executing the sabotage, citing their “predictable operational footprint” as a means for Britain to deflect blame. Russian officials likened the alleged plan to the Nord Stream pipeline incident, suggesting that the fallout would either implicate Russia or Ukraine, while shielding Western actors from accountability.
The timing of the operation, according to SVR sources, is intended to coincide with political pressure on the Trump administration, compelling Washington to impose harsh secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil. The Kremlin views the alleged strategy as an attempt to portray Russian energy exports as a global maritime threat.
Western analysts have cautioned that the SVR’s claims may themselves be part of a broader disinformation campaign or a pretext for future Russian countermeasures. The UK government has not issued an official response to the allegations.