French Navy Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Tanker with UK Support
The French navy, backed by the United Kingdom, has intercepted an oil tanker under international sanctions that was traveling from Russia, according to a statement released by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
The tanker, identified as the Tagor, was boarded on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean. Video footage shows troops descending onto the vessel via rope from a French military helicopter. This is the latest in a series of French naval interceptions of tankers suspected of links to Russia.
Macron emphasized that it is unacceptable for vessels to skirt international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, financing President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. He stated that these ships pose a threat to the environment and everyone’s security.
International Sanctions and Russian Oil Exports
Oil revenue is a key part of Russia’s economy, allowing Putin to pour money into the war effort without worsening inflation for everyday people or causing a currency collapse. Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade international sanctions imposed over the war. France and other countries have vowed to crack down on the sanction-busting “shadow fleet.”
French Authorities’ Response
French maritime authorities stated that the tanker was intercepted more than 400 nautical miles west of France, in international waters in the Atlantic. It was traveling from the northwestern Russian port of Murmansk. The authorities suspect that the tanker is operating under a false flag and are now escorting it to an anchorage for further checks.
The captain has been identified as Russian, according to French prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger, overseeing the investigation from Brest in western France. The captain repeatedly refused to comply with French navy instructions, making it necessary to take control of the vessel.
Previous Interceptions and Investigations
Tankers previously intercepted by France include the Deyna, boarded in the Mediterranean Sea in March. Another tanker, the Grinch, intercepted in the Mediterranean in January, was released in February after paying a multimillion-euro penalty.
Original Article: Macron says French navy, backed by the U.K., intercepted a sanctioned tanker from Russia — Latimes