France Intercepts Oil Tanker Allegedly Sailing from Russia’s Murmansk

French naval forces stopped an oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean allegedly sailing from Murmansk citing suspicions it was flying a false flag. President Macron confirmed the vessel named Tagor is under international sanctions, and British forces joined the operation.

France Makes Bold Move in the Atlantic Stops Tanker Linked to Russia

French naval forces intercepted an oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean last weekend one that officials say was sailing straight from the Russian port city of Murmansk. The country’s Maritime Prefecture for the Atlantic region confirmed the dramatic high-seas operation on Sunday.

“Naval forces conducted an operation at sea on May 31 more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany targeting an oil tanker that departed from Murmansk,” the Maritime Prefecture stated on its official website.

Macron Identifies the Vessel Points to International Sanctions

President Emmanuel Macron stepped in personally to name the ship calling it the Tagor. He stated the vessel is already subject to international sanctions. Naval officers boarded the tanker to verify its national registration, as authorities strongly suspected it was operating under a false flag.

After a thorough document inspection that “confirmed those concerns,” French naval forces escorted the tanker directly to an anchorage point. British naval personnel took part in the operation alongside the French, authorities confirmed.

A Repeat Pattern France Has Done This Before

This is not the first time France has moved against a tanker it links to Moscow. Back in March, French forces stopped a vessel called the Deyna which was sailing under a Mozambican flag. Reports later confirmed the Deyna left French waters in April after its owners paid a fine and authorities lifted the seizure order.

Russia has repeatedly pushed back hard against such operations labeling them outright piracy on multiple occasions.