The French Navy has boarded an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet”, marking the second high-profile interception by France in recent months targeting vessels linked to Moscow’s embargo violations.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the operation, stating that the tanker originated from Russia, was subject to international sanctions, and was suspected of sailing under a false flag.
“The French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag,” Macron wrote on X.
Joint Operation Near Gibraltar
According to French maritime authorities, the vessel — identified as the Grinch — departed from the Russian port of Murmansk and was intercepted near the Strait of Gibraltar in the western Mediterranean. The boarding was conducted in coordination with the United Kingdom, underscoring growing allied cooperation against Russia’s maritime sanctions violations.
Macron emphasized that the operation took place on the high seas and was conducted in full compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adding that a judicial investigation has now been launched.
Russia’s Shadow Fleet Under Scrutiny
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, hundreds of Russian-linked vessels have continued operating in international waters to circumvent sanctions, primarily to export oil and, in some cases, transport military-related equipment.
These ships frequently disable transponders, falsify registry information, and sail under deceptive flags to evade detection. More than 600 such vessels are currently banned under EU sanctions, yet enforcement remains a significant challenge.
Repeated French Action
This is not the first time France has taken decisive action. In October, French authorities arrested two crew members aboard another tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s shadow fleet off Europe’s Atlantic coast.
The latest boarding highlights increasing European efforts to counter Russia’s systematic abuse of maritime law and to cut off financial and logistical lifelines fueling Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
