The French Navy has boarded an oil tanker allegedly linked to Russia’s covert maritime network used to move sanctioned oil and finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the operation, saying the vessel was “coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions, and suspected of flying a false flag.” The boarding, he said, was carried out with the support of several allied nations. The tanker — identified as Grinch — was intercepted between Spain and Morocco after departing from Murmansk, a key Russian Arctic port. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel flying a Comoros flag, triggering immediate concern among maritime authorities. French officials later said an inspection revealed “serious doubts” about the legitimacy of the ship’s registration, and the tanker is now being escorted to anchorage for further checks. The United Kingdom played a crucial role in the operation. British Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the UK provided tracking and monitoring support, including HMS Dagger, which followed the tanker through the Strait of Gibraltar. “We are stepping up our response to shadow vessels,” Healey said, vowing to choke off the funds fuelling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move, calling it “exactly the kind of resolve needed” and urging tougher action against the entire shadow fleet infrastructure. His comments followed sharp criticism of Europe for what he described as weakness in confronting Russian aggression.#RussianShadowFleet #FranceNavy #MacronUkraine #MediterraneanSecurity #RussiaOilSanctions #UkraineWarFinancing #NavalInterception #PutinOilNetwork #ZelenskyEurope