Captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker in French custody

The French navy seized the tanker "Grinch" in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, suspecting it of being part of Russia's shadow fleet and violating international sanctions. The tanker, which had departed from Murmansk, Russia, was allegedly flying a false flag and is now moored near Marseille. The Indian captain of the vessel has been taken into custody, while the remaining Indian crew members are being held on board. The investigation aims to verify the validity of the flag used by the tanker, reportedly a Comoros Islands flag. President Macron stated that shadow fleets help finance Russia's war in Ukraine, emphasizing France's commitment to enforcing sanctions. This seizure follows similar actions by France and other Western nations targeting tankers suspected of circumventing sanctions on Russian energy.

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