France announced on Monday that 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. Naval officials said the vessel was sailing under a false flag.

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 stated.

"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.

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. After examining documents, the team confirmed suspicions regarding the irregularity of the flag, and the vessel was diverted.

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.

Source: www.dw.com