French Navy Intercepts Russia-Linked Oil Tanker In Mediterranean: ‘We’ll Let Nothing Pass’

Thursday saw another Russia-linked tanker, part of the so-called shadow fleet of sanctions evading vessels, boarded by a European country’s navy. Such incidents are ramping up, and likely Moscow is also increasing its security deployments related to protecting the vessels.

Just as Ukrainian President Zelensky was on stage at the Davos WEF summit where he decried European ‘inaction’ – news hit global headlines that the French navy boarded an oil tanker from Russia. “This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X.

“The operation was carried out on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies,” he added, noting that the vessel had been “diverted”.

“We will let nothing pass,” Macron then stated, seeking to appear ‘tough’ at a moment much of European leadership is focused on the Greenland crisis.

“The activities of the shadow fleet help finance the war of aggression against Ukraine,” he added.

The detail about it happening in the Mediterranean is interesting, and more rare, given that until now such intercepts typically take place in northern European waters. But this apparently underscores European resolve to go after these vessels anywhere on the globe.

International news sources have identified the seized vessel, currently under escort, as the “Grinch” and it happened in the narrow body of water between Spain and Morocco.

Per the emerging details, the operation was carried out by France in coordination with the UK, which provided vital intelligence to make the intercept possible.

The vessel was sailing under a false Comoros flag, despite having an Indian crew, with the vessel encountering French authorities near southern Spanish port city of Almería.

Photos of the French Navy boarding the Russian shadow fleet tanker Grinch today in the Mediterranean pic.twitter.com/tIMjwWfIWq

— Air & Sea Intel (@air_intel) January 22, 2026

This incident is akin to one in last September which saw French naval forces board another oil tanker off France’s Atlantic coast.

That prior vessel had departed from the Russian oil terminal at Primorsk near St. Petersburg. Known as “Pushpa” or “Boracay” – after undergoing multiple name changes – the tanker was operating under the Beninese flag, The Associated Press reported.