France blocks a tanker linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Mediterranean, Macron: Sanctions will not be bypassed

Near the coast of Sicily, French naval forces stopped and inspected an oil tanker linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”

French President Emmanuel Macron made the news public, also sharing footage of the operation showing French soldiers boarding the vessel and carrying out inspections on board.

Macron said the ship, called Deliver, was stopped because it was sailing in violation of international maritime law.

According to information from Ukrainian intelligence, Deliver flies the Cameroonian flag and since 2024 has been involved in exporting Russian oil, mainly from ports in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea.

The term “shadow fleet” refers to the network of ships Russia uses to evade Western sanctions on the energy sector. These vessels operate through complex ownership schemes, the flags of third countries, and other methods that conceal the origin of the cargo.

The action taken by France came just a few days after the United Kingdom announced that it had stopped and inspected the Russian tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel.

British authorities said the operation lasted six hours and involved marine commandos, officers from the National Crime Agency, military helicopters, and Royal Navy ships.

“This latest action against the shadow fleet, carried out just a few days after a similar operation by the United Kingdom, shows the determination of Europeans,” Macron said.

The French president stressed that European countries will not accept these ships escaping international sanctions and helping finance Russia’s military efforts.

“We will not allow the shadow fleet to bypass sanctions and finance Russia’s war,” he said.