A Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has accused UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of prioritizing the seizure of a tanker allegedly linked to Russia as a tactic to divert public attention from internal issues within the United Kingdom. Dmitriev alleges the focus on the tanker is a deliberate attempt to overshadow a growing domestic “crime crisis.” The accusation suggests the UK government is using the international incident to deflect scrutiny from problems closer to home. This claim was made public through RT.com, a Russian state-funded international television network. The specific details of the alleged “crime crisis” were not elaborated upon in the report. The UK government has not yet responded to Dmitriev’s accusations. The incident centers around the detention of a vessel suspected of connections to Russian interests.