France Intercepts Russian Oil Tanker to Thwart Sanction Evasion

Sun Feb 01 2026 10:53:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a strategic move against Moscow's attempts to circumvent international sanctions, France has seized the oil tanker known as the Grinch, which was suspected of being part of Russia's clandestine 'shadow fleet'.

French authorities, with support from the UK navy, successfully boarded and searched the Grinch, confirming its questionable registration. The vessel was en route from Murmansk, Russia, to evade sanctions on Russian oil exports. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of enforcing international law and sanctions, as Western nations intensify efforts against Russia's war finance.

France says it has seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of being part of Russia's sanction-busting shadow fleet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the tanker, named the Grinch, was subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag.

The French navy, with assistance from allies including the UK, boarded the vessel on Thursday morning between Spain and Morocco. French maritime authorities stated that a search of the vessel confirmed their concerns about the legality of the flag it was flying.

Russia's embassy in Paris has reportedly not been informed of the seizure.

The so-called shadow fleet consists of tankers used to bypass Western sanctions targeting Russian oil exports. The Grinch was intercepted while traveling from the Arctic port of Murmansk in northern Russia and had been flying a Comoros flag.

In a message on X, Macron declared: We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions. The activities of the 'shadow fleet' contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine, he asserted, adding that the vessel had been diverted.

UK Defence Secretary John Healy noted that the UK Navy offered support in tracking the tanker through the Straits of Gibraltar. He affirmed, Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Notably, the UK has imposed sanctions on 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action, underscoring the necessity for such determined actions to stop Russian oil from financing the war. He prompted discussions on the confiscation of oil from seized tankers.

Earlier in January, British armed forces facilitated a US operation that intercepted a Russian-flagged tanker in Atlantic waters accused of violating sanctions via oil transfers for Venezuela and Russia.

This seizure of the Grinch is among recent efforts, as many Western nations aim to enforce sanctions on Russian energy following the onset of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The rise of shadow fleets is increasingly alarming, with nations like Venezuela and Iran also notorious for utilizing them to bypass sanctions. According to financial intelligence firm S&P Global, an estimated one in five oil tankers globally might be involved in smuggling operations for sanctioned countries.