France Allows Russian First’s Frigate Replica to Dock Despite EU Sanctions

The French authorities allowed the Russian vessel “Standart” — a replica of Tsar Peter the First’s frigate — to dock at their port despite sanctions imposed due to Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

AFP reported this, citing inside source.

According to AFP, the “Shtandart” arrived at the port city of La Rochelle on the southwest coast of France on the night of Tuesday, August 6, for resupply and refueling.

Russian ships are banned from entering EU ports due to sanctions that were imposed on Russian vessels shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The source told the agency that the “Standart” arrived on Monday morning and departed on Tuesday afternoon, adding that it is unclear where the ship will head next.

The permission for the vessel to dock in La Rochelle was granted by the authorities of the Charente-Maritime department. They officially declined to comment, but the AFP source said it was a “technical stop” and there were no grounds for prohibiting it.

The three-masted “Shtandart,” built in 1999 and measuring 34 meters in length, is an exact replica of the frigate that belonged to Peter I. Last month, it was prohibited from entering the French port of Brest and participating in the local maritime festival.

Once a favorite at European maritime festivals and frequently used for cruises and training, the ship, which previously flew the Russian tricolor, changed its flag to that of the Cook Islands in the spring.