This handout photograph released by the French Defense Staff on January 22, 2026, shows helicopters surrounding an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. AFP PHOTO / FRENCH DEFENSE STAFF
France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday, January 22, boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said. "This morning, the French Navy boarded an oil tanker coming from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X in English, adding the operation had been carried out "with the support of several of our allies."
Local maritime authorities said the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco after it started its journey in the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. A ship called "Grinch" is under UK sanctions, while another called "Carl" with the same registration number is sanctioned by the United States and the European Union. Ship-tracking websites marinetraffic and vesselfinder said the vessel had been flying a Comoros flag.
"After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said. The ship "is currently being escorted by the national navy to a point of anchorage for further verifications," it added.
