The United Kingdom has unveiled new sanctions that aim to increase pressure on Russia days after British troops seized a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the English Channel for the first time at the weekend.The package of 70 new sanctions target Russia’s shadow fleet, military procurement supply chains and illicit finance networks used to circumvent sanctions.They target a front company called Neptune, which the UK says is involved in procuring western technology for Russian military intelligence, as well as three companies and 10 officers from Russia’s GRU military intelligence suspected of acquiring the technology.The sanctions will also sanction several vessels identified as moving banned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).It will bring the number of sanctioned shadow fleet and Russian LNG vessels to more than 600.The sanctions are also expected to target a network involved in covertly procuring western technology for Russia’s military, and third-country suppliers helping Moscow move money internationally.[ Convoy of Russian shadow-fleet tankers monitored off west coastOpens in new window ]British troops seized a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel early on Sunday.The captain of the Smyrtos tanker, Ajay Pant (38), has been charged with contravening sanctions by the Crown Prosecution Service and will appear in court on Tuesday.British prime minister Keir Starmer said: “These sanctions target the vessels, the money and the actors propping up Russia’s war economy, and in turn, threatening European security.“Working with our G7 allies, we will continue to increase the pressure on [Russian president Vladimir] Putin and his circle of collaborators until Russia’s war machine is brought to a halt and peace returns to our Continent.”Elsewhere, UK-based Urenco will supply enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer, Energoatom, for two years in a deal agreed last week.Starmer is facing his counterparts on the international stage to talk about global threats as pressure is piling on him over long-term funding for the military at home.There is potential for friction with US president Donald Trump, who was pictured sitting next to Starmer at a working leaders’ dinner on the first night of the summit, amid a strained relationship.Starmer has announced a social media ban for under-16s after Trump’s pro-tech US administration warned against such a move.Recent interventions from US vice-president JD Vance and US defence secretary Pete Hegseth linked to the murder of student Henry Nowak prompted No 10 to criticise those seeking to “interfere in our democracy”.The UK prime minister and his wife Victoria Starmer met German chancellor Friedrich Merz at the summit on Monday.Starmer updated Merz on his social media ban and they talked about the UK’s ambitions to move closer to the EU, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.The G7 summit also comes as Trump appears to have clinched a peace deal with Iran that he says will see oil flow freely again through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route out of the Gulf.The US president said the strait would be fully opened on Friday when the deal is signed in Switzerland. – PA