politics
French Navy Boards Oil Tanker Off Sicily; Russia-Linked Vessel Detained for Checks
The French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver off Sicily on June 23. President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel belongs to Russia's shadow fleet. France has now intercepted five such ships since September.
SE
MA
Le MondeAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver off the coast of Sicily on June 23. The vessel, which flew the Cameroonian flag and had sailed from Primorsk in Russia, was escorted to an anchorage for further checks, maritime authorities said. President Emmanuel Macron stated on June 25 that the Deliver was linked to Moscow's shadow fleet.
"We will not allow the shadow fleet to circumvent sanctions and finance Russia's war effort," Macron said. The Deliver is the fifth alleged Russian shadow-fleet vessel boarded by France since September.
One of the four prior boardings occurred in late May in the Atlantic with assistance from Britain and other partners. Nearly 600 suspected shadow fleet ships fall under European Union sanctions. Several Western countries have sanctioned hundreds of such vessels.
Western sanctions on the fleet were imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. These ships often change flags or rely on invalid registrations.
