France detained a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker in the Mediterranean Sea

On the morning of January 22, French naval forces detained an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea coming from Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on social network X.

From the words of the French leader it follows that we are talking about a tanker of the so-called shadow fleet of the Russian Federation. He was detained in international waters.

“This morning the French Navy detained an oil tanker from Russia, which is subject to international sanctions and is suspected of using a counterfeit flag. The operation was carried out on the high seas, in the Mediterranean, with the assistance of several of our allies,” Macron said. According to him, the operation was carried out in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Macron did not specify the name of the detained tanker or what flag it was flying under. Later, French authorities clarified that the Grinch tanker, which left Murmansk, was detained . The ship flies under the flag of the Comoros Islands.

France will not tolerate violations, the president noted. The country's authorities have launched an investigation. “We are committed to complying with international law and ensuring the effective implementation of sanctions. The activities of the “shadow fleet” contribute to the financing of the aggressive war against Ukraine,” Macron added.

Macron's statement about the detention of the tanker coincided with the speech of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the forum in Davos. In his speech, the Ukrainian leader criticized Europe for its inaction towards the Russian Federation, including the fact that the EU does not intercept Russian ships, unlike the United States .

• Tankers of the “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation are vessels used to transport Russian oil, bypassing Western sanctions. Such tankers are regularly detained in European countries. In addition, Ukraine has been attacking these ships in the Black and Mediterranean Seas since the end of November 2025.
• After the Ukrainian attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened new attacks, including on the courts of Kyiv’s allies. He also said that he could “cut off Ukraine from the sea.” Russian authorities called the detentions of ships “piracy.” Against this background, armed guards were spotted on the tankers.