Russia on Monday strongly condemned France’s seizure of a Russia-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, calling the action illegal and warning that Moscow would take steps to protect its shipping operations.In response to France’s seizure of the tanker Tagor, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered the move illegal, according to Reuters.“We consider such actions illegal,” Peskov said. He added that the ship’s detention “poses a threat to international terrorism.”The Kremlin also said that Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of maritime cargo transportation and will continue to do so in light of the recent incident.
A tanker on suspicion of violating sanctions
The sharp reaction came after France announced the seizure of the tanker Tagor, which is suspected of being part of the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine war.French President Emmanuel Macron said that the ship was intercepted in international waters in the Atlantic Ocean with the support of Britain and other partners.
According to French authorities, the tanker left Murmansk in northwestern Russia and was heading towards Cameroon when it stopped more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany.
Authorities said the ship was sailing under a false Cameroonian flag and was being escorted by the French Navy for further inspection.The detention also led to a criminal investigation in France. According to Agence France-Presse, the Brest Public Prosecutor’s Office said that an investigation had been opened into the ship due to failure to prove its nationality, lack of knowledge, and refusal to comply with the orders of the authorities.The Prosecutor General’s Office said that the Russian captain of the tanker refused to obey French Navy instructions during the interception, adding that “controlling the ship was necessary.”Macron said: “It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than 4 years.”
A large-scale campaign against the Russian “Shadow Fleet”.
This detention is the latest in a series of measures taken by France against ships allegedly linked to the Russian sanctions evasion network.French maritime authorities said Tagore is already subject to EU and US sanctions, and has previously changed its flags several times, a practice known as “flag jumping,” according to Agence France-Presse.France has boarded several other tankers suspected of being linked to Russia since September, some of which were later released after paying fines.Western countries have imposed sanctions on hundreds of ships believed to be helping Moscow continue oil exports despite the restrictions imposed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.About 600 ships suspected of belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” are currently subject to European Union sanctions.Russia has repeatedly criticized such actions. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously described Western countries’ detention of ships linked to Russia as “piracy.”
