A convoy of Russian gunrunners guarded by warships has sailed through the Channel in a “direct challenge” to the UK sanctions regime, The Times can reveal. The Maia-1, a cargo ship sanctioned for transporting thousands of artillery shells from North Korea to Russia, was spotted following a fleet of four other vessels off the British coast on Monday. She was just hours behind Sparta IV and Siyanie Severa, two ships suspected of carrying weapons from Syria to bolster the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine. These vessels were escorted by the Severomorsk, a heavily armed Russian destroyer, and the Alexandr Shabalin, a navy landing ship. The Times, aboard a small fishing vessel, intercepted the Maia-1 about 30 miles off Brighton as she headed towards Dover.

Source: The Times March 19, 2025 14:42 UTC