France Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker In Atlantic Waters/Image@ BBC
In a significant operation on Sunday, the French Navy successfully intercepted a Russian oil tanker, the Tagor, in the Atlantic Ocean, with assistance from allies including the United Kingdom.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, confirmed that the vessel was detained approximately 400 nautical miles west of Brittany while allegedly flying a false flag.
Macron expressed his disapproval on social media platform X, stating, “It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate maritime law, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years.”
In response, the Kremlin condemned the seizure as “illegal,” with spokesman Dmitry Peskov, describing it as “bordering on international piracy.”
He added that Russia is taking measures to protect its cargo.
Since the onset of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has been utilizing a “shadow fleet” of tankers with opaque ownership to bypass international sanctions on its oil exports.
The Tagor marks the fourth vessel boarded by French authorities since September 2025.
President Macron emphasized that the operation was conducted “in strict compliance with maritime law,” warning that vessels disregarding fundamental navigation rules pose risks to both environmental safety and public security.
A video released by Macron showcased armed naval personnel boarding the tanker via helicopter.
Previously, French authorities had allowed sanctioned ships to continue operations after their owners paid fines, but they have now committed to blocking such vessels.
UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced in March that he had authorized the British military to board sanctioned Russian ships.
However, analysis by BBC Verify indicates that nearly 200 Russian shadow fleet vessels had entered UK waters as of May 11, despite Starmer’s warning to intercept them in mid-March.
The Ministry of Defence stated at that time that it was actively “disrupting and deterring” these shadow fleet vessels but did not provide further specifics.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong