French President Emmanuel Macron has accused an oil tanker of “very serious wrongdoings” from the country’s coast, linked to Russia’s “Shadow Fleet” which is allegedly ignoring the Western sanctions imposed on war in Ukraine.
The vessel, whose current position is unclear, was earlier seen from the Danish coast last week, where European naval experts suggested its possible participation in drone flights.
Prosecutors in the breast have since started a judicial inquiry into the “refusal to cooperate” and their “failure to justify the nationality of their vessel”.
According to marine traffic surveillance, the tanker departed on 20 September at the Russian oil terminal at the primus near St. Petersburg.
After sailing the previous Denmark, it has been away from the French Western port of St.-Nazier since Sunday.
Mr. Macron indicated that the French authorities had intervened, stating: “I think it’s a good thing that it has been done and we are able to stop it.”
On the occasion of a summit of leaders of the European Union in Copenhagen, Denmark, Macron said, “Some very serious misconceptions were done by this crew, which is why there is legal action in the case.” He did not expand and French marine authorities did not respond to the request for immediate details.
Macron stated that the incident “sheds light on the existence and reality of an event that we have long described and condemned” which is “this notorious shadow fleet” that represents tens of billions of euros for Russia’s budget and is an estimated 40 percent of Russia’s war attempt.
Macron said 600 to 1,000 ships are transporting Russian oil and gas despite Western sanctions.
The tanker known as “Pushpa” or “Borake”, whose name has changed several times, was sailing under the Benin flag and appears on the list of ships targeted by the European Union sanctions against Russia.