The French navy intercepted an oil tanker suspected of sailing under a false flag in the Mediterranean Sea. French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that the French navy had intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean, originating from Russia and violating international sanctions that prohibit the export of oil from that country. The operation took place 'in the high seas' and involved other allied countries, 'within the respect of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,' Macron added in a message on social media X. The Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean specified in a statement that the operation was carried out in the Alboran Sea in collaboration with the United Kingdom. 'This action, carried out in collaboration with our allies from the United Kingdom, illustrates the constant commitment and determination of France and its partners to act to enforce international law,' concluded the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean. In its nineteen sanctions packages against Russia adopted so far, the European Union has targeted in several of them Russia's oil network and tightened the noose around the so-called 'ghost fleet'. The EU banned the import of Russian crude oil by sea and refined petroleum products from Russia. The loss of this important and lucrative market has a significant structural impact on Moscow, whose budget depends heavily on these oil revenues. 'The activities of the ghost fleet contribute to the financing of the aggressive war against Ukraine,' Macron recalled. The Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean stated in a statement that the operation was carried out in the Alboran Sea and affected the oil tanker 'Grinch', which came from Murmansk, Russia. Upon boarding and inspecting the vessel's documentation, the officials in charge of the operation confirmed their suspicions that the ship was sailing under a false flag, so they reported the irregularity to the Marseille prosecutor, competent in matters of the maritime tribunal, according to the Prefecture. It added that 'the ship is currently being escorted by the French navy to a mooring point to continue with the checks'.
