France intercepts a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean

BarcelonaThe French Navy intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, accused of being part of Russia's "ghost fleet" and transporting Russian oil despite international sanctions prohibiting the export of Russian hydrocarbons. Other allies participated in the operation, "in full compliance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," as announced by French President Emmanuel Macron. He stated that a judicial investigation has been opened and that the ship, "suspected of sailing under a false flag," was diverted. "The activities of the ghost fleet contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine," Macron emphasized. Last July, the European Union approved the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, focusing primarily on the oil industry. Among other measures, it expanded the list of those known as the "ghost fleets."ghost shipsRussians,Vessels that transport fossil fuels while evading European sanctions. Specifically, another 105 will be added to the list, bringing the total number of Russian vessels of this type under scrutiny by the European Union to around 400.

The incident occurred two weeks after The United States intercepted another Russian oil tanker attempting to evade the US blockade in CaracasAt that time, the Kremlin's response was forceful: "No state has the right to use force against ships of other jurisdictions," it stated.