EuropeJune 25, 2026 3:41 pm • 2 min readA French Navy helicopter approaching the shadow fleet tanker DELIVER on June 23, 2026. Photo: French Maritime Prefect of the MediterraneanThe French navy has intercepted a ship belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, the second in a month, after it failed a nationality check carried out in the Mediterranean Sea on June 23, the French government announced on June 25.In addition to regularly sanctioning ships suspected of belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, which helps Moscow circumvent oil and gas sanctions, European countries are increasingly boarding the ships to stop them in their tracks."We will not allow the shadow fleet to evade sanctions and fund Russia's war effort. Europe is determined," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X on June 25.La Marine Nationale a arraisonné mardi le pétrolier Deliver alors qu’il transitait au large de la Sicile en infraction avec le droit de la mer. Cette nouvelle action contre la flotte fantôme, conduite quelques jours après une opération similaire par le Royaume-Uni… pic.twitter.com/5Gjn43MhLr— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 25, 2026
A French government press release notes that the cargo tanker DELIVER, which came from Primorsk on Russia's Baltic Sea coast, was flying a Cameroonian flag, which they suspect was a false flag."After the visit team boarded, examination of the documents confirmed doubts about the regularity of the flag flown," reads the press statement.More European countries are boarding ships suspected of being part of the shadow fleet, with Sweden, the U.K., and France all intercepting ships in June. After agreeing on new sanctions listings on June 15, the EU is expected to finalize its 21st sanctions package in July.
