French Navy Detains Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker Tagor in Atlantic

French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that the French Navy, backed by the United Kingdom and other partners, intercepted an oil tanker subject to international sanctions in the Atlantic Ocean while it was departing from Russia.

Macron posted on the platform X: "Yesterday morning, the French Navy detained another oil tanker, the Tagor, coming from Russia and subject to international sanctions. This operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean on the high seas, supported by several partners, including the United Kingdom, with full adherence to maritime law."

According to the vessel tracking website Vessel Finder, the oil tanker Tagor sails under the flag of Madagascar and last docked at the port of Murmansk in early May.

The French Navy had previously conducted an operation on March 20 in the western Mediterranean Sea against the oil tanker Dina, which flies the flag of Mozambique and was also heading from Murmansk.

President Macron claimed that the tanker is part of what is referred to as the Russian "shadow fleet." On April 16, French authorities released the tanker Dina after a fine was paid.

This incident occurs amid increasing European scrutiny of ships suspected of belonging to Russia’s "shadow fleet," which Europe alleges Moscow uses to circumvent Western sanctions imposed on its oil exports amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.