EU Naval Mission Boards Russian-Linked Oil Tanker in Mediterranean Sea
A European naval mission boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker suspected of sailing under a false flag this week, according to EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas. The MV South Star was intercepted by personnel operating under the Mediterranean naval initiative Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI on Monday for “flag verification.” Kallas wrote in a post on X, “We’re turning up the pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet.”
The EU’s naval force mission confirmed its crew boarded the sanctioned tanker in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Both Kallas and the EU published photos showing military helicopters and speedboats encircling the vessel.
Flag Verification Operation Underway
According to marine traffic monitoring data, the South Star, which sails under the flag of Cameroon, was located in the West Mediterranean as of Wednesday afternoon. It was not immediately clear whether the flag verification operation was still underway 48 hours after the initial boarding. The vessel reportedly departed the Tunisian port of Rades on July 10 and was scheduled to arrive there again on July 22.
EU Authorizes Naval Mission to Conduct Flag Verification Boardings
Kallas said EU member states have also authorized the bloc’s naval mission off the coast of Somalia and the western Indian Ocean to conduct similar flag verification boardings of suspected Russian “shadow fleet” vessels. “This decision further tightens the net,” she posted.
Sanctions Against Russia’s Shadow Fleet Network
Brussels has sanctioned nearly 600 ships suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” network. Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed previous interceptions of Russia-linked vessels as “piracy.”
Original Article: European Forces Intercept ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker in Mediterranean Sea — Themoscowtimes