Macron Says French Navy Intercepted Sanctioned Russian Tanker Tagor With UK Support

French President Emmanuel Macron said the French Navy intercepted a sanctioned Russian oil tanker named the Tagor in the Atlantic on Sunday, with support from the United Kingdom, in international waters.

Macron said the operation was carried out “with the support of several partners including the United Kingdom” and described it as “in strict compliance with the law of the sea.”

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French maritime authorities said the tanker was intercepted more than 400 nautical miles west of the tip of Brittany, coming from the northwest Russian port of Murmansk, and it was suspected of flying under a false flag.

The Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic said the inspection team boarded the vessel, examined documents, and then, “In accordance with international law and at the request of the public prosecutor, the vessel was diverted.”

Sky News reported that British forces provided monitoring and tracking support from a helicopter on board HMS Somerset before the French navy boarded the tanker.

Macron wrote on X that “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 for more than 4 years.”

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia “considers such actions illegal, bordering on international piracy,” as French authorities said the tanker was suspected of operating under a false flag.

Al Jazeera

Sky News said Downing Street rejected suggestions the UK did not have the military capability to lead an operation aimed at seizing a shadow fleet tanker.

The UK Ministry of Defence said a helicopter from onboard HMS Somerset provided tracking and monitoring in support of the French operation to board the tanker Tagor.

The Diplomatic Insight reported that the Kremlin strongly condemned the seizure as unlawful and accused Western countries of engaging in actions that approached “international piracy.”

French authorities said the Tagor was intercepted more than 400 nautical miles west of France in international waters and was traveling from Murmansk, while the Atlantic maritime prefecture said the objective was to verify the validity of its flag.

“Macron says French Navy, backed by the UK, intercepted a sanctioned tanker from Russia Macron says French Navy, backed by the UK, intercepted a sanctioned tanker from Russia PARIS (AP) — The French Navy, with support from the United Kingdom, has intercepted an oil tanker under international sanctions that was traveling from Russia, the most recent effort by nations that support Ukraine to target Russian oil exports helping to finance President Vladimir Putin’s war”

AP News

The Guardian said the tanker was “falsely flying a Cameroonian flag” and was heading towards Limbe, and it reported that the ship had 23 crew members and was “being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage point for further checks.”

The Guardian also reported that France and the UK have vowed to obstruct ships linked to Russia’s sanctions-hit “shadow fleet” that pass through their waters.

AP reported that the captain says he is Russian, and French prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger said his office opened a criminal investigation on charges of failure to provide proof of a vessel’s nationality, navigating without a flag, and refusal to comply with orders.

AP framed the interception as part of efforts by nations that support Ukraine to target Russian oil exports helping to finance President Vladimir Putin’s war, and it quoted Peskov saying Russia “considers such actions illegal.”