French Navy Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker

The French Navy recently intercepted an oil tanker named the Tagor, which was under international sanctions, as it sailed from Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron announced this action on the social media platform X.

Macron emphasized the importance of adhering to international sanctions and maritime law. “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,” he stated.

The operation occurred in the Atlantic Ocean with support from several partners, including the United Kingdom, according to Macron. The Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic elaborated that the interception took place over 400 nautical miles west of Brittany’s tip. The vessel had departed from Murmansk, Russia.

The French authorities aimed to verify the vessel’s nationality, suspecting it was flying a false flag. Upon boarding, the inspection team confirmed irregularities with the flag. Following this finding, the vessel was diverted as dictated by international law and at the public prosecutor’s request. The prefecture’s statement, however, did not reveal the ship’s name.

There was no immediate response from Moscow regarding the incident. Earlier, in January, the French Navy also intercepted another Russian-linked oil tanker, the Grinch, in the Mediterranean Sea. This action resulted from intelligence shared by the U.K., focusing on ships suspected of operating under false flags.

France and the United Kingdom have committed to interrupting the operations of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”. This fleet is linked to transporting sanctioned Russian oil and goods, which are then sold on the black market, aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in March that he would allow the U.K. military to board ships associated with this “shadow fleet.” Despite these efforts, shipping data indicates that numerous sanctioned ships continue to operate through U.K. waters.