France, with UK Assistance, Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Tanker, Macron Confirms

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that French forces, backed by the United Kingdom, intercepted an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s "shadow fleet." The vessel, identified as the Tagor, was boarded by officers in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 400 nautical miles west of Brittany. Maritime authorities noted that the ship had been utilizing a false flag at the time of its detention.

Addressing the incident on the social media platform X, Macron condemned the actions of the vessel, stating, "It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine." He emphasized that the operation in international waters was conducted in strict adherence to maritime law and in coordination with allies, including the UK.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to the BBC that a British helicopter provided support during the mission. A spokesperson for the MoD explained that the aircraft, operating from HMS Somerset, was tasked with tracking and monitoring to assist the French operation. "Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels – to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine," the spokesperson said, adding that these ships, which disregard basic maritime navigation rules, also endanger the environment and public safety.

The Kremlin strongly rejected the seizure, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeling the action "illegal" and describing it as "bordering on international piracy." Peskov added that Russia is currently implementing measures to protect the safety of its cargo.

This incident marks the fourth suspected shadow fleet vessel boarded by France since September 2025. Moscow has relied on this fleet—characterized by opaque ownership structures—to bypass sanctions on its oil exports following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While French authorities previously permitted these ships to operate upon payment of fines, they have recently vowed to block them entirely.

In March, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that he had authorized the military to board sanctioned Russian vessels. However, analysis by BBC Verify suggests that nearly 200 Russian "shadow fleet" ships entered UK waters by 11 May, despite the Prime Minister’s threat to intercept them in mid-March. At the time, the MoD stated it was working to "disrupt and deter" these vessels, though it did not provide specific details on the outcomes.

The video released by President Macron shows armed naval personnel boarding the tanker via helicopter; however, the BBC has not independently verified the footage.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-01 11:53:26 UTC