France intercepts Russian tanker in the Atlantic; Macron: "This is only the beginning"

The French Navy on Sunday boarded another Russian oil tanker during an operation in the Atlantic Ocean, supported by several allies, including the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron announced.

According to the Atlantic Maritime Authority, the interception of the tanker, which was sailing from Murmansk, took place more than 400 nautical miles (740 kilometers) west of the coast of Brittany.

Following the boarding, an inspection of the vessel's documents reportedly confirmed suspicions that it was improperly displaying its flag. The case has been referred to the public prosecutor in Brest. The ship is currently being escorted by French naval vessels for further checks.

Macron stated that it is unacceptable for ships to circumvent sanctions, violate maritime law, and help finance Russia's war against Ukraine. He also stressed that such vessels pose both environmental and security risks.

The interception of the tanker Tagor marks France's fourth such operation, following actions against the vessels Deyna, Grinch, and Boracay. All three were previously detained and later released after paying fines. France has announced tougher penalties for violations of flag-registration and navigation rules.

Russian Embassy Responds

The captain of the Tagor, which was stopped and detained by the French Navy in the Atlantic Ocean, is a Russian citizen, the Russian Embassy in Paris said today. The embassy added that it has requested information from French authorities regarding the nationality of the crew members, according to Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti.

Meanwhile, the embassy stated that French authorities had not officially informed Russia about the actions taken against the tanker, which was reportedly sailing from Murmansk and is suspected of operating under a false flag.

"Overall, there has been no notification from the French side regarding actions involving this vessel," the Russian Embassy told RIA Novosti.