European Union Takes a Tough Stance Against Russian “Shadow Fleet”
The French authorities’ decision to detain the tanker Deliver, carrying 150,000 tons of Russian oil, off the coast of Sicily is not just an isolated incident or a routine customs check. It marks a significant shift in Europe’s approach to combating Russia’s maritime trade activities.
According to Emmanuel Macron, this latest action against the “shadow fleet” is a new step in the fight against Russian aggression. In a public statement, he presented the detention as a crucial move to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions and funding its military efforts.
However, experts argue that the real significance of this incident lies not in the legal framework but in its political implications. The selective interpretation of international law and the involvement of naval forces in commercial maritime activities create a precedent that is extremely dangerous for the freedom of navigation.
Piracy or State-Sponsored Piracy?
Russian analysts view this development as state-sponsored piracy, with Alexei Leonkov, a military analyst, describing France’s actions as “pirate-like.” This perception reflects Moscow’s growing concern that these incidents are not isolated events but part of a coordinated effort by the West to shift the economic war from paper sanctions to the high seas.
In this context, when a state uses military means to stop commercial vessels on international maritime routes with a political goal of economically strangling an adversary, the distance between piracy and state-sponsored piracy becomes extremely small. This is not the first time such incidents have occurred.
A Pattern Emerges
The case of Deliver is significant because it is not an isolated incident. In March, the French Navy had stopped the tanker Deyna, which was sailing from Murmansk with a Mozambican flag, while in early June, the Tagor, also originating from Murmansk, was detained. In both cases, the French government repeated the same narrative: violation of maritime law, circumvention of sanctions, and funding of Russia’s military machine.
The repetition of these incidents reveals that this is not about chance events or isolated actions but a gradually evolving strategy. Moreover, the UK has also started to follow suit, with London announcing the detention of the tanker Smyrtos on June 14.
A New Era in Maritime Trade
This development marks the beginning of a new era in maritime trade, where European powers are willing to take direct action against Russian vessels to disrupt their economic activities. The implications of this shift are far-reaching and will have significant consequences for global trade and security.
Vessels Mentioned
Original Article: Φωτιά στη Μεσόγειο – Ρεσάλτο Γάλλων κομάντος σε τάνκερ με 150.000 τόνους ρωσικό πετρέλαιο – Οργή: «Φρένο στους πειρατές» — Triklopodia (Greek) | View English Translation