French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the actions of ships evading international sanctions, violating maritime laws, and supporting Russia’s prolonged conflict with Ukraine. His remarks followed an operation by the French Navy, where they boarded an oil tanker originating from Russia.
On Sunday, the French Navy intercepted an oil tanker, the Tagor, in the Atlantic Ocean. The operation, conducted on the high seas and supported by several partners like the United Kingdom, adhered strictly to maritime laws. President Macron highlighted the importance of such operations in preventing the support of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic, the French Navy discovered the tanker over 400 nautical miles west of Brittany’s tip. The ship traveled from Murmansk, Russia. The interception aimed to verify the vessel’s nationality, suspecting it of displaying a false flag. Upon inspection, irregularities in the flag were confirmed. This led to the vessel’s diversion as per international law and at the public prosecutor’s request.
The identity of the ship was not disclosed. Moscow has not responded to the incident. Earlier in January, France had stopped another tanker, the Grinch, in the Mediterranean Sea under similar suspicions. Both France and the UK remain committed to impeding Russia’s sanctioned “shadow fleet”. These vessels frequently attempt to transport Russian oil illegitimately, aiding President Putin’s war financing.
In March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the UK military to board such “shadow fleet” ships. Despite these efforts, shipping data indicates many sanctioned vessels linked to Russia still traverse UK waters.
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