Russia Condemns France's Detention of Russian-Linked Oil Tanker

Russia on Monday strongly condemned France's detention of a Russian-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, describing the action as illegal and warning that Moscow would take steps to safeguard its shipping operations.

Reacting to France's seizure of the tanker Tagor, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considered the move unlawful, according to Reuters. "We consider such actions to be illegal," Peskov said. He added that the detention of the vessel was "bordering on international terrorism".

The Kremlin also said Russia was taking measures to ensure the safety of maritime cargo transport and would continue to do so in light of the latest incident.

Tanker over suspected sanctions violations

The sharp reaction came after France announced the detention of the Tagor, a tanker suspected of being part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to circumvent Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine war.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel was intercepted in international waters in the Atlantic with support from Britain and other partners. According to French authorities, the tanker had departed from Murmansk in northwestern Russia and was heading towards Cameroon when it was stopped more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany.

Authorities said the vessel was sailing under a suspected false Cameroonian flag and was being escorted by the French Navy for further checks. The detention has also triggered a criminal investigation in France. According to news agency AFP, the Brest prosecutor's office said a probe had been opened into the vessel over failure to prove its nationality, absence of a flag and refusal to comply with authorities' orders.

The prosecutor's office said the Russian captain of the tanker refused to obey instructions from the French Navy during the interception, adding that "taking control of the vessel proved necessary".

"It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than 4 years," Macron said.

Wider crackdown on Russia's 'shadow fleet'

The detention is the latest in a series of actions by France against vessels allegedly linked to Russia's sanctions-evasion network. French maritime authorities said the Tagor was already under EU and US sanctions and had previously changed flags multiple times, a practice known as "flag-hopping", according to AFP.

France has boarded several other suspected Russian-linked tankers since September, with some later released after fines were paid. Western nations have imposed sanctions on hundreds of vessels believed to be helping Moscow continue oil exports despite restrictions introduced after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Nearly 600 vessels suspected of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" are currently subject to European Union sanctions. Russia has repeatedly criticised such actions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously described the detention of Russia-linked vessels by Western countries as "piracy".