France intercepts Russia-linked ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker off coast of Sicily

PARIS, June 25 (YPA) –French naval forces have intercepted and boarded a tanker linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” while it was sailing in waters between Malta and Sicily,French President Emmanuel Macron said

“On Tuesday, the French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver as it was passing off the coast of Sicily in breach of maritime law,” Macron posted on X.

https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/2070078777443410023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2070078777443410023%7Ctwgr%5E59433bfcc85e990779145044a07c69bc1f5793c9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.x.com%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FEmmanuelMacron%2Fstatus%2F2070078777443410023

“We will not allow the ‘shadow fleet’ to circumvent sanctions and finance Russia’s war effort,” Macron said.

He added, “Europe will continue all necessary efforts to increase the cost of the war for Russia and help achieve a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

According to a statement from French maritime authorities (Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée), the French Navy conducted an inspection operation on June 23 targeting the tanker Deliver, which was sailing under the Cameroonian flag and had departed from Russia’s port of Primorsk.

The statement said the operation was carried out under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea after French authorities raised doubts about the validity of the vessel’s flag registration.

@E.Y.M