The French Navy intercepted a Russian oil tanker inthe western Mediterranean over suspicion of operating as part of Moscow’s “shadowfleet,” a network accused of evading international sanctions, France’sauthorities announced on Thursday.
We will not tolerate any violation.This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag. The operation was conducted on the high seas in the Mediterranean,… pic.twitter.com/zhXVdzPx1r
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 22, 2026?Mediterranean | High sea intervention led by the French Navy to control the pavilion of an oil tanker ⚓ Rerouting at the demand of the public prosecutor - under escort by the @MarineNationale - to proceed to further inspection ?️ Operation conducted in cooperation with our… t.co/PG7ZjgoqPk pic.twitter.com/w9u2QYQBEw
— The ?? Joint Staff - Military operations (@FrenchForces) January 22, 2026Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed themove on X, calling it “exactly the kind of resolve needed.” He urged theseizure and sale of oil carried by shadow-fleet vessels.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2026
Russia, however, countered that France failed tonotify Moscow of the interception, according to TASS. The Russian consulate inMarseille, it noted, is seeking clarification on whether Russian nationals areamong the crew.
France carried out a similar action in October 2025,briefly detaining the sanctioned tanker Boracay off its Atlantic coast beforereleasing it days later.
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