Putin envoy ties U.K. tanker detention to migrant crisis after alien plea

In a post on X, Dmitriev commented on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement that Britain had intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel, saying London was trying to “distract” Britain by escalating the conflict instead of addressing migration problems.

On June 10, Dmitriev called on aliens to show their omnipotence and persuade the British prime minister to voluntarily leave office.

“Dear aliens, as you prepare for contact with humanity, please show your omnipotence and kindness by convincing Keir Starmer to resign,” Putin’s special representative wrote.

In Dmitriev’s view, such a step could allegedly give hope to all of Western civilization, which he believes is going through a systemic crisis.

Britain detains Russian shadow fleet tanker for first time — details

On June 14, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the interception of a Russian shadow fleet tanker that was trying to pass through the English Channel.

Starmer said the operation was successful and called it another blow to Russia.

Aircraft from the Maritime Aviation Group, RAF P-8 aircraft and the naval vessels HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury took part in the operation.

The U.K. Defense Ministry said the vessel Smyrtos would be detained and kept under supervision off England’s southern coast while an investigation continues.

The ministry also said Russia’s shadow fleet, which numbers more than 700 vessels and carries 75% of sanctioned Russian oil, is a critical supply line for the Kremlin.

Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency said the Smyrtos tanker “has been involved in the export of Russian oil and petroleum products mainly since March 2025 from Russia’s Kozmino port in the Pacific region.”

Since February 2025, the tanker’s owner and commercial manager has been Daira Shipping Ltd., a company registered in the Seychelles.

The vessel is sanctioned by the EU, Switzerland, the U.K., Ukraine and Canada.