MoD forced to deny Marines tanker raid was 'staged for the cameras' after 'serious questions' emerge

The Ministry of Defence has denied claims the Royal Marines' seizure of a Russian shadow fleet tanker was "staged for the cameras".

Announced early on Sunday morning, Sir Keir Starmer said the seizure of the tanker was a blow to Russia, in the first UK-led operation of its kind.

Footage from the interception, which has resulted in the arrest of a 38-year-old Indian national, showed soldiers rappel from a helicopter onto the oil-carrying vessel.

Army veteran and Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty last night raised "serious questions" over whether the footage was in fact a set-up.

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He said on social media: "There are serious and legitimate questions about the authenticity of the footage released by the MoD of the interdiction of the Russian Shadow Fleet vessel this morning.

"How is the cameraman ahead of the Marines clearing the stairwell to be able to film them coming towards him?

"How has the cameraman gone past the open doors of rooms that haven't yet been cleared? How much of this has been staged for the cameras?"

"I don’t doubt that a Russian tanker was seized and that the operation carried significant risk," the Huntingdon MP said.

However, he said he did "question the PR and the desperate need for a win by the Government at the Royal Marines' expense".

A MoD spokesman admitted the footage had been taken after initial forces "cleared" the tanker, in order to ensure filming could be done safely, but denied it had been "staged" or contained repeated activities.

At one point in the footage, a voice can be heard saying "rolling" and asking a soldier to "hold that" as a search is being carried out.

Further footage showed British personnel conducting searches of cabins on the vessel, with officers from the NCA inspecting documentation and paperwork.

The spokesman added: "There were multiple points at which personnel fast-roped onto the vessel, including when some were already on board, which could then be captured."

Further operational details were not discussed, but the MoD specified the footage showed the "level of diligence and detail" needed to clear a vessel.

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It is understood 24 Georgian and Indian crew members remain aboard the vessel and are assisting with the investigation.

A spokesman for the National Crime Agency said: "Following the interdiction of a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the early hours of 14 June, a 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency on suspicion of suspected sanctions offences under the Russia Regulations.

"He has been taken into custody where he will be interviewed by NCA investigators.

"As our investigation remains ongoing, we will not be commenting further at this time."

Sir Keir said in March that Britain would "go after" Russia's shadow fleet "even harder" than before, with Sunday's operation following months of planning.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, appointed just last week, said the operation required "skill, professionalism and courage".

The operation follows turmoil at the head of the MoD after John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary and Al Carns as Armed Forces Minister over concerns the Government did not provide enough money for the Armed Forces through the proposed Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which has still not been published.

The Treasury is set to give the MoD a £13.5billion boost - thought to fall well short of the sums needed to transform the Armed Forces.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told GB News the Government was "looking for additional cuts in public spending to boost investment in defence" on Sunday.

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