The French navy has detained a Russian-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, in a joint operation with the United Kingdom and other partners, President Emmanuel Macron announced. The vessel, named Tagor, was seized on Sunday in international waters over 400 nautical miles west of Brittany, while en route from Murmansk in north-west Russia.
Macron posted a video of the operation on X, showing commandos descending from a helicopter onto the ship. He stated that the tanker was subject to international sanctions and that the seizure aimed to prevent ships from circumventing sanctions, violating maritime law, and financing Russia's war in Ukraine. The Kremlin condemned the seizure as illegal and bordering on piracy, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of its cargo.
The Tagor was flying a false Cameroonian flag and heading to Limbe, Cameroon, according to French authorities. After boarding, inspectors confirmed the flag irregularity, and the vessel was diverted to an anchorage point for further checks. The tanker, which had 23 crew members, was under EU and US sanctions and was nearly empty at the time of boarding.
Russia's embassy in Paris has requested information about any Russian citizens on board, noting that the captain is believed to be Russian. This seizure is part of broader efforts by France and the UK to disrupt Russia's 'shadow fleet' of vessels evading sanctions. Since September, France has boarded three other such ships, which were released after fines were paid.
