'I've done it, I almost died doing it': Carns voices full confidence in UK boarding capabilities
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns has given a rather visceral endorsement of the UK Armed Forces' boarding capabilities, as it gains new powers to halt, board and detain sanctioned vessels from Russia's so-called shadow fleet should they pass through UK waters.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, the former Royal Marines colonel said: "Without a shadow of a doubt, we have the best force in the world capable of doing this.
"I've done it myself. I've almost died doing it in the past. It's exceptionally dangerous, deeply sophisticated, and I have utter confidence in our Armed Forces to be able to deliver at a moment's notice."
Deterring, disrupting and degrading
"We've been supporting our allies," he added, perhaps alluding to UK support in the US operation to seize the Russian-linked tanker the Marinera at the beginning of the year, and more recently, HMS Dagger aiding French forces in their operation to board the Russian shadow fleet tanker named the Grinch.
"We're now saying that the UK will do this independently if required," he said.
"We know that sanctions have been lifted on oil, which is putting a lot of money back into the Russian pockets and allowing them to support this barbaric and illegal invasion of Ukraine, which is causing so many casualties and indeed affecting the global economy as a whole."
It is estimated that roughly 75% of Russia's crude oil is carried aboard Russian shadow fleet vessels, many operating under false flags in an attempt to avoid maritime restrictions and remain undetected.
Alongside its allies, the UK has imposed sanctions on 544 of these vessels as part of a wider effort to put a stop to Russia's illicit oil exports.
Mr Carns added that clamping down on the Russian shadow fleet is actually "morally and ethically the right thing to do" and will be "the principled position which we're going to pursue".
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