France Boards Russian Oil Tanker in Atlantic for Sanctions Evasion

France on Monday said its navy had boarded and diverted a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Russia in the Atlantic Ocean as part of a broader crackdown on sanctions evasion.

France has boarded several such ships in recent months. While some have been allowed to continue after paying fines, Western governments have pledged tighter enforcement as the war in Ukraine drags on.

Why did France board the Russian ship?

French President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel, identified as the Tagor, was intercepted on Sunday in international waters.

"This operation took place ‌in the Atlantic Ocean, on the high seas, with the support of several partners, including the United Kingdom, in strict compliance with the law ​of the sea," Macron said.

"It is unacceptable for ships to 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," he added.

French prosecutors said the vessel was detained after the Russian captain refused to comply with orders.

France's Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic said an inspection team boarded the ship, sailing from Murmansk under the flag of Madagascar, more than 400 nautical miles (740 kilometers) west of Brittany.

"This operation was aimed at checking the ​nationality of a vessel suspected of flying a false flag. After the inspection team boarded the vessel, an examination of the documents confirmed suspicions ​regarding the irregularity of the flag flown. ​In accordance with international law and at the request of the public prosecutor, ​the vessel was diverted," ‌it added.

Russia, meanwhile, has accused French authorities of acting illegally.

"We consider these acts illegal. They border on international piracy," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of its cargo."

Beefed-up effort to stop Russia-linked tankers

The operation reflects growing efforts by France and its allies to disrupt Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" — a network of vessels accused of evading sanctions through practices such as flag-hopping or using invalid registrations.

Hundreds of vessels linked to the fleet are now under European Union sanctions, though many continue to operate, highlighting the challenges of policing maritime trade routes.

France and Britain have both pledged to stop sanctions-evading Russian ships that pass through their waters. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in March, said he had granted permission for the UK military to board ships suspected of being part of the shadow fleet.

Edited by: Natalie Muller