Russia Denounces French Seizure of Shadow Fleet Tankers as Illegal Piracy
Russia labels French naval seizures of shadow fleet tankers as illegal piracy, escalating tensions over sanctions enforcement on Russian oil exports.
POLICY WIRE — Paris, France — The Russian embassy in France has formally condemned the French government’s recent seizure of oil tankers linked to Moscow, labeling the naval operations as a blatant violation of international law.
The diplomatic protest follows the French Navy’s interception of the tanker DF Peak on October 12. The vessel was halted 450 nautical miles, or 833 kilometers, south of the French territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, with French President Emmanuel Macron confirming the operation targeted a ship suspected of operating under a false flag as part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
The shadow fleet consists of aging, inadequately insured tankers utilized by Moscow to export oil while circumventing international sanctions. In a separate operation, the French Navy intercepted another vessel, the Deliver, near Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Officials noted that the Deliver was traveling from Russia’s Primorsk oil terminal toward the Suez Canal and Singapore while operating under a Cameroonian flag, despite having been removed from that nation’s registry weeks prior.
Russian officials have escalated their rhetoric regarding these maritime interventions. The Russian embassy in Paris described the actions as another case of piracy, characterizing the seizures as illegal and unacceptable under international legal standards. Reports from the TASS news agency indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has also denounced the maneuvers, warning of potential retaliation as European nations intensify efforts to enforce energy sanctions.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
