Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 22, 2026
3 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe French navy intercepted a sanctioned Russian tanker in the Mediterranean, supported by allies and in compliance with UN laws, highlighting international sanctions.
PARIS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The French navy intercepted a Russian tanker on Thursday in the Mediterranean suspected to be part of the shadow fleet that enables Russia to export oil despite sanctions.
"This operation was carried out ... with the support of several of our allies. It was conducted in full compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X.
The interception was on high seas in the Western Mediterranean, between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco, the French maritime police said in a separate statement.
Navies of other countries, including Britain, supported the operation, the statement added.
British defence minister John Healey said Britain had provided tracking and monitoring support for the operation. This support included a vessel, HMS Dagger, monitoring the tanker, named the GRINCH, as it passed through the Straits of Gibraltar.
RUSSIA ADAPTS TO SANCTIONS
The EU has imposed 19 packages of sanctions against Russia, but Moscow has adapted to most measures and continues to sell millions of barrels of oil to countries such as India and China, typically at discounted prices.
Much of the oil is carried by what is known as a shadow fleet of vessels operating outside of the Western maritime industry.
The intercepted tanker was sailing from Murmansk in northern Russia and is subject to international sanctions and suspected of operating under a false flag, Macron said in his post.
The tanker was sailing under a Comoros flag, according to data provided by LSEG.
"The activities of the shadow fleet contribute to financing (Russia's) war of aggression against Ukraine," Macron added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a post on X that the operation was "exactly the kind of resolve needed".
He suggested the oil carried by tankers of the shadow fleet be confiscated and sold.
The case was referred to the prosecutor of Marseille, who handles matters related to maritime law. The prosecutor ordered the ship to be diverted for further investigation.
Moscow said France had not notified Russia about the interception, TASS news agency reported.
The Russian consulate in Marseille is trying to find out whether Russian citizens are among the crew members, TASS reported, citing the Russian embassy in France.
In October, France detained another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast and released it after a few days.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, Dominique Vidalon and John Irish; Editing by Ros Russell, Rod Nickel and Susan Fenton)
International sanctions are restrictive measures imposed by countries or international organizations to influence or punish a nation for certain actions, often related to human rights violations, terrorism, or military aggression.
A tanker is a type of ship or vehicle designed to transport liquids, such as oil, chemicals, or liquefied natural gas, across oceans or waterways.
The French Navy is responsible for the naval defense of France, conducting operations to protect national interests, enforce international laws, and support allied nations.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is an international treaty that establishes guidelines for the use of the world's oceans, including navigation rights, territorial waters, and marine resource management.
A false flag operation is a covert action designed to deceive by making it appear that a particular entity is responsible for an action, often to mislead or manipulate public perception.
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