French authorities have detained a suspected Russian oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the latest seizure aimed at countering Moscow's shadow fleet of vessels that violate international sanctions. President Emmanuel Macron announced the operation on Sunday, which took place in international waters over 400 nautical miles west of Brittany.
Details of the Seizure
The vessel, identified as the Tagor, was boarded by French commandos who descended from a helicopter onto the ship. According to Macron, the operation was conducted with support from the United Kingdom and other partners, in full compliance with the law of the sea. The tanker was en route from Murmansk in northwestern Russia when it was intercepted.
Macron posted a video of the seizure on X, stating: "It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years."
Flag Irregularities
The French maritime prefecture reported that the ship was falsely flying a Cameroonian flag and was heading toward Limbe, a coastal city in Cameroon. The inspection team discovered irregularities regarding the flag, prompting the vessel's diversion. The ship, carrying 23 crew members, is now being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage point for further checks.
Guillaume Le Rasle, a spokesperson for the prefecture, confirmed that the tanker was under EU and US sanctions. "It is a vessel that was known and tracked," he told Agence France-Presse. He added that the tanker, which has frequently changed flags, was almost empty at the time of boarding.
Russian Response
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the seizure, calling it illegal and bordering on international piracy. Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of its cargo, he said. The Russian embassy in Paris has requested information from French authorities about any Russian citizens onboard the Tagor. The embassy noted that the captain is, according to preliminary information, a Russian citizen.
Broader Context
France and the UK have vowed to obstruct ships linked to Russia's sanctions-hit shadow fleet that pass through their waters. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in March that he had authorized the UK military to board such vessels. However, shipping data shows dozens of Russia-linked, sanctioned ships continue to cross UK waters.
The shadow fleet vessels frequently engage in flag-hopping, changing their flags or using invalid registrations to avoid tracking. Since September, France has boarded three other ships believed to belong to Russia's shadow fleet. In each case, the vessels were allowed to sail after their owners paid fines.
- In September, the French navy boarded the Boracay, which claimed to be flagged in Benin. Its Chinese captain was tried in absentia and sentenced to one year in jail.
- In January, French forces impounded the Grinch, another suspected Russian tanker.
- 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. Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on hundreds of vessels in Russia's shadow fleet following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Nearly 600 ships suspected of being part of that fleet are subject to EU sanctions.
