Summary
French officials have detained the captain of an oil tanker, named the Grinch, suspected of being part of a Russian shadow fleet. The French navy intercepted the tanker, which is believed to be violating international sanctions and flying a false flag, as it traveled through the Mediterranean Sea. The tanker is now under guard in a French port, and the captain has been taken into custody for an investigation.
Key Facts
- The Grinch is an oil tanker intercepted by the French navy.
- French officials suspect the tanker of being part of a Russian shadow fleet.
- The tanker was traveling from Murmansk, a Russian Arctic port, to the Mediterranean.
- The captain, an Indian national, is in custody, while the rest of the crew remains on board.
- French authorities are verifying if the tanker used a false flag, reportedly from the Comoros Islands.
- Shadow fleets are used to avoid international sanctions, particularly by countries such as Venezuela, Iran, and Russia.
- Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russian energy since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
- President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the enforcement of international law and sanctions.
