On the morning of January 22, the French Navy stopped an oil tanker that had departed Russia in the Mediterranean Sea. This was reported by French President Emmanuel Macron on the social network X. According to him, the vessel belongs to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and was detained in neutral waters.
“This morning, the French Navy detained an oil tanker from Russia that is subject to international sanctions and suspected of using a forged flag. The operation was carried out on the high seas, in the Mediterranean, with the assistance of several of our allies,” Macron said, stressing that the actions were conducted under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The president did not name the vessel or the flag under which it was sailing. He noted that France has no intention of tolerating violations, and that the competent authorities have already launched an investigation. “We are determined to uphold international law and ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ help finance the aggressive war against Ukraine,” Macron added.