Vladimir Putin is feared to be preparing false flag attacks on Russia‘s shadow fleet of sea vessels in order to deter the West from further sanctioning them. 

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According to SVR, the UK was plotting to attack the country’s fleet of ships used to subvert sanctions. 

The SVR, Moscow Intelligence Service, said that the attacks would be designed to look like accidents, causing significant environmental damage and allowing Britain and the rest of NATO to justify further actions against them. 

‘British intelligence services are planning to use NATO allies to launch a mass raid on the “shadow fleet”; for this purpose, an ecological catastrophe in international waters is being prepared,’ per the Telegraph.

However, experts said the report’s publication raised concerns that Russia is preparing its own false flag operation, a scheme carried out by the Kremlin but designed to look like it has British origins.

Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at RUSI, told the newspaper: ‘One interpretation might be that the Russians are insuring themselves against something breaking down or sinking, in a way that creates a pretext for restricting [their movement across the ocean].’

So far at least six tankers have suffered mysterious explosions since the start of the year.

The suspicion has largely fallen on Ukraine, as all of the tankers were docked in Russian ports. Some of them were carrying Russian oil.