French Navy Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that ships bypassing international sanctions, violating maritime law, and funding the ongoing war against Ukraine are unacceptable. This follows the interception of an oil tanker by the French Navy, identified as the Tagor, which was sailing from Russia. The operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean with support from several partners, including the United Kingdom, and adhered strictly to the law of the sea.

According to the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic, the French Navy intervened with the tanker more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany’s tip. The vessel, originating from Murmansk, Russia, was suspected of flying a false flag. A boarding party confirmed irregularities with the ship’s documentation. Consequently, the public prosecutor ordered the vessel’s diversion following international law.

There was no immediate response from Moscow regarding this incident. Earlier in January, France, with intelligence support from the U.K., intercepted another Russian vessel, the Grinch, in the Mediterranean Sea. This ship was also suspected of operating under a false flag.

France and Britain remain committed to blocking ships associated with Russia’s sanctioned ‘shadow fleet.’ These ships illegally transport sanctioned Russian oil and goods to aid Russian funding of the military efforts in Ukraine. In March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the U.K. military to board ‘shadow fleet’ vessels. However, reports indicate numerous sanctioned ships still navigate U.K. waters.