Russia on Monday strongly condemned France’s seizure of a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, calling the action illegal and warning Moscow that it would take measures to protect its shipping business.According to Reuters, in response to France’s seizure of the oil tanker Tagore, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia considered the move illegal.“We consider such actions to be illegal,” Peskov said. He added that seizing the ship “borders on international terrorism.”The Kremlin also said Russia was taking steps to ensure the safety of maritime cargo shipments and would continue to do so in light of the latest incidents.
Oil tanker suspected of violating sanctions
France reacted strongly after announcing the seizure of the Tagore oil tanker, which is suspected to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine.French President Emmanuel Macron said the ship was intercepted in international waters of the Atlantic with support from Britain and other partners.French authorities said the tanker departed from Murmansk in northwest Russia and headed to Cameroon, stopping more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany.Authorities said the vessel was suspected of flying a fake Cameroonian flag and was being escorted by the French navy for further inspection.The detention also triggered a criminal investigation in France. The Brest prosecutor’s office said it had launched an investigation into the ship for failing to prove its nationality, having no flag and refusing to comply with authorities’ orders, AFP reported.The tanker’s Russian captain refused to obey French navy instructions during the interception, the prosecutor’s office said, adding that “control of the ship proved necessary.”“It is unacceptable that ships have been circumventing international sanctions, violating the law of the sea and financing Russia’s war against Ukraine for more than four years,” Macron said.
Wider attack on Russia’s “shadow fleet”
The seizure is the latest in a series of French actions against ships suspected of links to Russia’s sanctions evasion network.According to Agence France-Presse, the French maritime authorities stated that the “Tagore” has been sanctioned by the European Union and the United States and has changed its flag many times before. This practice is called “flag jumping.”France has boarded several other tankers suspected of being linked to Russia since September, some of which were released after paying fines.Despite restrictions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Western countries have imposed sanctions on hundreds of ships believed to have helped Moscow continue oil exports.Nearly 600 ships suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” are currently subject to EU sanctions.Russia has repeatedly criticized such actions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously called Western seizures of Russia-linked ships “piracy.”
