France Detains Russian Oil Tanker Part of Moscow’s ‘Shadow Fleet’
France announced Monday that it had detained a suspected Russian oil tanker in the Atlantic over the weekend, as part of its efforts to crack down on Moscow’s sanctions-busting “shadow fleet.” The Tagor was detained Sunday morning in international waters with the help of Britain and other partners, said President Emmanuel Macron.
According to French authorities, the tanker was on its way from Murmansk in northwestern Russia when it was seized. The ship was falsely flying a Cameroonian flag and was heading toward Limbe, a seaside city in the west of the African country, said a spokesperson for the maritime prefecture.
“It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than 4 years,” Macron said. “These ships, which fail to comply with the most basic rules of maritime navigation, also pose a threat to the environment and to everyone’s safety.”
Sanctions-Busting Vessels Pose Threat
The Tagor is just one vessel in a larger network of ships used to circumvent international sanctions against Russia. The ship was under EU and U.S. sanctions, said Guillaume Le Rasle, spokesman for the Atlantic maritime prefecture. “It is a vessel that was known and tracked,” he told AFP. “The decision to divert it was taken Sunday evening. The objective of the diversion is to verify the validity of its flag.”
French Navy Steps In
A French Marine Nationale (French Navy) personnel helicopter hovers above the Tagor, a sanctioned Russian oil tanker, some 400 nautical miles west of France’s Brittany coast, June 1, 2026. (AFP Photo)
The French navy played a key role in the detention of the Tagor. The ship was escorted by the French navy to an anchorage point for further checks, said the maritime prefecture.
‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels Frequently Change Flags
The “shadow fleet” vessels frequently change the flags they fly, a practice known as flag-hopping, or use invalid registrations in an attempt to escape tracking. Since September, France has boarded three other ships believed to belong to Russia‘s “shadow fleet.” The ships were allowed to sail after their owners paid fines.
In January, French forces impounded another suspected Russian tanker, the Grinch, and in March, the Deyna, which sailed from Murmansk under a Mozambican flag, was detained in Marseille. In April, France announced a plan to double penalties for ships that fail to fly a flag or refuse to comply.
Western Countries Impose Sanctions
Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on hundreds of vessels in Russia‘s “shadow fleet” over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Nearly 600 vessels suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” are subject to European Union sanctions. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has condemned the detention of Russia-linked vessels as “piracy.”
Original Article: France detains Russian oil tanker part of Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’ — Dailysabah