The French Navy has boarded another oil tanker from Russia as Paris steps up its campaign against Moscow’s so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels suspected of evading international sanctions.
President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that the operation had taken place on Sunday on the high seas in the Atlantic “with the support of several partners, including the United Kingdom”.
According to France’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture, the interception was carried out more than 400 nautical miles – around 740 kilometres – west of the tip of Brittany.
The vessel, identified as the Tagor, was travelling from Murmansk in northern Russia.
After an inspection team boarded the tanker, an examination of its papers “confirmed suspicions regarding the irregularity of the flag flown”, the authorities said. A report has now been sent to the public prosecutor in Brest, which has jurisdiction under France’s maritime court system.
The vessel is currently being escorted by French Navy assets to an anchorage point for further checks, the Maritime Prefecture added in a statement.
Macron condemns sanctions evasion
Macron said the operation reflected France’s firm determination to counter ships accused of helping Russia sidestep sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine.
“It is unacceptable that ships should circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years,” the French president wrote on X, in a post accompanied by footage of the boarding.
He also warned that such vessels pose risks beyond sanctions evasion.
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“These vessels, which do not comply with the most basic rules of maritime navigation, also pose a threat to the environment and to everyone’s safety,” Macron said, adding that France’s determination to combat the Russian shadow fleet was “constant and total”.
The term “shadow fleet” is commonly used to describe ageing or obscurely registered tankers suspected of helping Russia continue exporting oil despite Western restrictions. Such vessels often operate under changing flags, opaque ownership structures or questionable documentation, making enforcement at sea more difficult.
Fourth French interception
Sunday’s boarding marks the fourth such operation carried out by France against tankers linked to Russia.
The previous cases involved the Deyna and the Grinch, which were detained in the Mediterranean in March and January 2026 respectively, as well as the Boracay, which was boarded off the coast of Brittany in September 2025 while sailing without a flag.
All three vessels were later allowed to continue their journeys after paying fines.
France has been looking to toughen its response. On 8 April, Paris announced plans to double penalties for offences including sailing without a flag and failing to comply with maritime authorities, according to corroborating sources.
The move is part of a broader effort to close loopholes used by vessels suspected of helping finance Russia’s war effort while also strengthening safety and environmental protections at sea.
(With newswires)
