Suspected Russian shadow fleet oil tanker boarded by EU forces

Published on

31/08/2026 - 15:10 GMT+2

EU forces intercepted and boarded a suspected Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Mediterranean on Sunday, according to the bloc's top diplomat.

In a post on X, Kaja Kallas said troops from the EU's Operation Irini boarded the MV Sun tanker for "flag verification," following suspicions that the vessel was sailing under a false flag in breach of international maritime law.

"Illegal oil sales from shadow fleet ships are a critical lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and we’ll continue to cut them off," she wrote, adding that it was the sixth suspected shadow fleet ship boarded by EU operations in recent months.