politics
January 22, 2026
France seizes tanker ‘coming from Russia’
French forces have seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean accused of sailing under a false flag
TL;DR
- French commandos boarded and seized a sanctioned tanker named 'Grinch' in the Mediterranean.
- President Macron described the tanker as part of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' allegedly involved in financing the war in Ukraine.
- The vessel was sailing from the Russian port of Murmansk and was flying the flag of Comoros.
- The French Navy conducted the seizure with intelligence support from the UK.
- Macron emphasized compliance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea for the operation.
- This action aligns with previous statements from France and the UK regarding a more robust approach to 'Russian shadow fleet' vessels.