French Navy has detained the "Tagor" tanker, which is under international sanctions and originated from Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the operation on his X account. He stated that the operation was carried out in strict compliance with the law and with support from several partners, including the UK.
Macron also shared footage of troops landing on the tanker from a helicopter, accompanied by dynamic music.
According to VesselFinder, the tanker was off the western coast of Norway in late May and had set course from Murmansk to an unknown port in the Baltic Sea.
The French Maritime Prefecture for the Atlantic region reported that the tanker was intercepted 400 nautical miles (about 740 km) west of Brittany: "After the inspection team boarded, document review confirmed suspicions of flag use violations. A request has been submitted to the Brest prosecutor's office, which has jurisdiction over the maritime court. The tanker is currently being escorted by French Navy vessels to an anchorage for further inspection."
