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France Intercepts Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in Mediterranean, Macron Says
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French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French Navy successfully boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, which was suspected of flying a false flag and violating international sanctions as a part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, Macron wrote in a post on X on January 22.
“We will not tolerate any violation,” he started.
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“The operation was conducted on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies. It was carried out in strict compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Macron continued.
We will not tolerate any violation.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 22, 2026
This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag.
The operation was conducted on the high seas in the Mediterranean,… pic.twitter.com/zhXVdzPx1r
“A judicial investigation has been opened. The vessel has been diverted. We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanction,” he stated.
“The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine,” Macron stressed.
Before that, German authorities have also cracked down on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and begun barring ships linked to Russia from entering the country’s territorial waters in the Baltic and North Seas.
The federal police intervened on January 10 when a so-called “zombie tanker,” Tavian, entered German waters in the North Sea. The outlet said the tanker was suspected of heading toward the Baltic Sea and then to an oil terminal in St. Petersburg.
Previously, Italian financial authorities have also detained a cargo ship in the port of Brindisi on suspicion of violating European Union sanctions targeting Russia.
The vessel, flying the flag of a small Pacific island nation—reportedly Tuvalu—was carrying more than 33,000 metric tons of black metal when it entered Brindisi. The Italian Financial Police launched an inspection upon arrival, prompted by irregularities detected in the ship’s import declaration.
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