France Seizes Russian Tanker Operating Under False Flag, Macron Vows No More War Financing

French authorities have confirmed the seizure of a Russian oil tanker, the Tagor, by the navy. The vessel, which had departed from the Russian port of Murmansk, was intercepted and inspected more than 400 nautical miles off the French Atlantic coast. French officials suspect the tanker was sailing under a false flag and belongs to a "shadow fleet" of aging oil tankers used to circumvent sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared on social media that it is unacceptable for ships to bypass international sanctions, violate maritime law, and finance the war in Ukraine. He asserted that the financing of the war will no longer be tolerated. The operation received support from the United Kingdom, which recently expanded its powers to detain Russian vessels suspected of evading sanctions.

Russia's ambassador to Paris stated that the Tagor's captain is a Russian citizen. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the seizure, labeling it "illegal" and comparing it to "international piracy." He added that Moscow would "take into account, so to speak, this existing negative experience" in ensuring the safety of its cargo.

This incident marks the fourth Russian vessel seized by France this year. European capitals have intensified pressure on the Kremlin's attempts to bypass Western sanctions. In March, a French court convicted a ship captain for operating a Russian vessel. The French prefect for the Atlantic region announced that the tanker is currently being escorted by French ships towards a port.

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