France Intercepts ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker Near Sicily
- On Tuesday, the French navy intercepted the oil tanker Deliver near the coast of Sicily, marking the latest operation against Russia's 'shadow fleet,' French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday.
- Russia uses the 'shadow fleet' to ship oil and gas, circumventing Western sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Macron described the interception as demonstrating European determination in disrupting these operations.
- This operation marks the fifth time since September that France has boarded a suspected 'shadow fleet' vessel. Marines descended from helicopters onto the Deliver, conducted days after a similar British action.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed the interception of Russia-linked vessels as 'piracy.' France announced a plan in April to double financial and criminal penalties for tankers failing to display valid flags.
- To evade tracking, many vessels engage in 'flag-hopping' or operate under invalid registrations. These maritime seizures remain central to Western efforts to disrupt the financing of the Russian war effort and enforce global trade sanctions.
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On Tuesday, the French navy seized an oil tanker suspected of belonging to a Russian phantom fleet that circumvents sanctions imposed on Russia.
Mediterranean Tanker Interception Highlights France's New Plans
A new incident involving European naval forces and a large oil tanker has unfolded in the Mediterranean Sea. French authorities intercepted the tanker Deliver in international waters off the coast of Sicily in order to inspect its documentation and verify the legitimacy of its registration. The operation forms part of a broader European effort aimed at creating obstacles for the so-called Russian "shadow fleet,” which transports oil outside West…
The hunt for Russia's shadow fleet continues. Now, French military has stopped another oil tanker suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet. The incident is the latest in a series of operations against Russian ships.
"We will not allow the 'shadow fleet' to bypass sanctions and finance Russia's war," French President Emmanuel Macron stressed in a post on X.
For the fifth time, the French Navy has established an oil tanker coming from Russia in the Mediterranean. According to President Macron, he is suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet.
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