French navy seizes sanctioned oil tanker in Mediterranean sailing from Russia

French maritime authorities for the Mediterranean said the ship, the Grinch, is suspected of operating under a false flag.

The French navy on Thursday detained an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea traveling from Russia, in a mission targeting a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet, officials said.

French maritime authorities for the Mediterranean said the ship, the Grinch, is suspected of operating under a false flag.

The French Navy is escorting the ship to port for further checks, the statement said.

"We are determined to uphold international law and ensure the effective implementation of sanctions," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a tweet about the interception, along with a photo showing a French helicopter flying over a ship.

"The activities of the 'shadow fleet' contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," Macron added, Euronews reports.

The French mission was carried out jointly with the United Kingdom, which collected and shared information that enabled the capture of the ship, according to French military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation.

The ship was flying a false flag from the Comoros islands, which are located in East Africa, and its crew is Indian, officials said.

Russia's shadow fleet consists of old tankers, often registered under flags of convenience in countries like the Comoros or Panama, which are used to circumvent Western sanctions by transporting Russian oil with transponders turned off to avoid detection.

Russia's use of the ships has raised environmental concerns about accidents, given their age and uncertain insurance coverage.