France boards another Russian shadow fleet tanker off Sicily
French marines boarded the Cameroon-flagged Deliver near Sicily, in at least Paris's fifth interception of a Russia-linked tanker.
France has intercepted another Russia-linked tanker, intensifying Europe's drive against the shadow fleet Moscow uses to ship oil and gas around Western sanctions.
President Emmanuel Macron said the French navy boarded the tanker Deliver on Tuesday as it transited near Sicily. Footage released by the president showed French marines roping down from helicopters onto the vessel.
"This new action against the shadow fleet, conducted days after a similar operation by Britain, shows Europeans' determination," Macron said. "We will not let the shadow fleet evade sanctions and finance the Russian war effort."
The Deliver was reported to be flying the Cameroonian flag and to have sailed from Primorsk, one of Russia's main Baltic oil export terminals. French authorities are understood to be looking into suspected irregularities tied to the vessel's status and paperwork.
The boarding marks at least the fifth French interception of a tanker Paris alleges is linked to Russia's shadow fleet. Moscow has repeatedly denounced such actions as illegal, likening earlier interceptions to piracy.
