French Naval Forces conducted an operation to intercept the Russian tanker Tagor, which is under international sanctions. The vessel was detained on May 31 in the Atlantic Ocean.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the news.
“The operation in international waters was carried out by our Navy with the support of partners, including the United Kingdom,” Macron wrote.
The tanker Tagor (IMO 9282481) was sailing from Russia and was carrying Russian crude oil. According to sources, the vessel was transporting oil above the G7 price cap, in violation of existing sanctions. The tanker belongs to the so-called “shadow fleet” and is linked to networks that also transport Iranian oil.
Built in 2005, the tanker previously sailed under the flag of Madagascar (a flag of convenience) and has been under sanctions from the United States, EU, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and other countries since 2025. It has repeatedly disabled its AIS system to evade tracking.
Details regarding the future of the tanker, its cargo, and crew have not yet been officially disclosed. The vessel is expected to be escorted to one of the French ports for further investigation.