French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that French commandos, supported by the United Kingdom and other nations, seized an oil tanker in international waters. The vessel, operating under the flag of Madagascar, was identified as part of a shadow fleet allegedly used to circumvent Western sanctions.
According to Macron, the tanker posed environmental and safety risks and engaged in “circumvention of international sanctions” targeting Russian foreign trade following the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict. The sanctions were implemented without a United Nations mandate.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the French action as “borderline piracy,” stating Russia would adjust its measures to ensure shipment safety based on this incident.
Kiev’s Western backers have accused Russia of using a so-called “shadow fleet” to conceal and maintain international trade flows they seek to restrict in order to weaken Moscow and aid Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine is reportedly conducting sabotage campaigns against vessels that call at Russian ports, including ships used by third parties such as the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
Last month, an LNG tanker arriving at Russia’s Ust-Luga port from Antwerp was found fitted with limpet mines. Moscow described this discovery as preventing what it called a Ukrainian attempt to trigger a major explosion near the port’s export terminal.
Maritime tracking data indicates the seized vessel previously visited an oil terminal near Russia’s Murmansk port and stopped transmitting transponder data more than a week ago while sailing off the Norwegian coast. Macron did not disclose Britain’s role in the capture.
France conducted a similar operation on March 15, intercepting an oil tanker it alleged was part of Russia’s shadow fleet as it sailed through the Mediterranean after departing Murmansk. The vessel was released in mid-April following payment by its owner of fines for paperwork irregularities.
The United Kingdom has been among the most vocal advocates of escalating interdictions against vessels transporting Russian oil while avoiding direct action itself, claiming a legal review had cleared British troops to board such ships in March.
