PARIS (AP) — France’s Navy, working with intelligence provided by the United Kingdom, on Thursday intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that traveled from Russia, in a mission targeting the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet, officials said.
French maritime authorities for the Mediterranean said the ship, the Grinch, is suspected of operating with a false flag. The French Navy is escorting the ship to port for more checks, the statement said.
“We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post about the interception, with a photo showing a French helicopter hovering over a ship.
“The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine,” Macron added.