The French Navy seized the Russian-linked oil tanker Tagor on the high seas Monday with support from the United Kingdom.
The operation marks a significant escalation in the enforcement of international sanctions aimed at cutting off funding for Russia's military efforts. By boarding a vessel in international waters, France is signaling a more aggressive stance against the "shadow fleet" used to bypass trade restrictions.
President Emmanuel Macron said French naval forces boarded the vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 700 km [1] west of the French coast. The tanker was subject to EU and UN sanctions designed to prevent the financing of Russia's war against Ukraine.
"It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and finance the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than four years," Macron said.
Macron said the vessel was subject to sanctions and noted that the government has released video footage of the boarding operation. The seizure is intended to prevent illegal sanction-circumvention that allows Russian oil to reach global markets despite diplomatic restrictions.
The Kremlin responded to the operation by criticizing the legality of the seizure. A Kremlin spokesperson said the act borders on international piracy.
French officials said the operation was conducted in accordance with international law to uphold global security mandates. The UK provided support for the mission, though the specific nature of that assistance was not detailed in the announcement.
“"It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions... and finance the war."”
This seizure represents a shift from passive monitoring to active interdiction of sanctioned vessels in international waters. By targeting the Tagor, France and the UK are attempting to close loopholes in the oil price cap and sanctions regime that Russia has utilized for over four years to sustain its economy during the conflict in Ukraine.
