UK Charges Captain of Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker

The captain of a Russian shadow fleet vessel intercepted by British commandos was charged with contravening sanctions, Britain's National Crime Agency said on Monday.

Ajay Pant, an Indian national, was charged with "directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil/oil products from Russia to a third country...," the agency said.

Pant is set to appear at the Southampton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, the agency added.

British commandos on Sunday boarded and intercepted Smyrtos, a sanctioned Russian oil tanker sailing under a Cameroonian flag, in the English Channel. The tanker has been detained.

The UK has sanctioned almost 600 Russian shadow fleet vessels. Russia's oil revenue helps fund its war in Ukraine.

(Reuters - Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)