Sources confirm that HM Coastguard and Border Force intercepted a shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel this morning, a vessel linked to the Kremlin's covert operations to evade western sanctions. The tanker, identified as the *Volga Star*, was flagged in Cameroon but tracked from a Russian port near Novorossiysk. Documents uncovered by this newsroom show the ship is part of a fleet used to launder oil profits for Putin's inner circle.
The interception comes amid a growing crisis in the Channel, where black rain from illegal ship-to-ship transfers has been reported by local fishermen. Environmental agencies have warned of toxic sludge washing ashore. Government sources confirm that the *Volga Star* was attempting to transfer its cargo to another vessel when it was boarded. Two crew members were detained for questioning.
This is not a rogue operation. It is a systematic effort by the Kremlin to bankroll its war machine while polluting our waters. Money trails from the tanker's registered owner lead to a Cypriot shell company, which in turn funnels funds to a Moscow-based investment firm with ties to a former FSB officer. The UK's National Crime Agency declined to comment, but insiders say the seizure is part of a wider crackdown.
The black rain phenomenon has been linked to the burning of low-grade fuel oil, often used by shadow vessels to avoid detection. Local MP Sarah Jones called it 'an environmental crime of the highest order.' The government has promised a full inquiry, but critics say this is just the tip of the iceberg.
As evening fell, the *Volga Star* remained under armed guard off the coast of Dover. Its fate uncertain. But one thing is clear: the Kremlin's black rain is falling on British shores, and the trail of money leads straight to the top.
