UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has granted new powers for British forces to board and potentially detain sanctioned vessels passing through its waters in a bid to ramp up economic pressure on Russia, as its war on Ukraine continues.

The oil tanker named *The Grinch* has left French waters after the company that owns the vessel paid a penalty of "several million euros."

The European Union has imposed sanctions on 41 additional vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, bringing the total number of sanctioned ships to nearly 600, the EU Council said on Thursday.

On Saturday, Sweden announced new regulations that will increase inspections of foreign vessels in the Baltic Sea starting July 1, intensifying efforts to crack down on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers used to evade sanctions on its oil trade.

On Thursday, the EU threatened additional sanctions against Russian vessels after Finland announced it was investigating an oil tanker that sailed from a Russian port in connection with the "sabotage" of a power cable between Finland and Estonia, News.az reports citing Kyiv Post.

The United Kingdom has announced the imposition of the biggest sanctions package against Russia’s shadow fleet, targeting 30 vessels and insurance companies.

By Asif Aydinli