Murmansk

The Grinch is an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's 'shadow fleet', a network of falsely-flagged vessels used to export oil and avoid Western sanctions. Recent news articles report that the French navy has diverted the tanker towards the port of Marseille-Fos for further investigation, with France and its allies escalating sanctions against Russia. The incident deepens the confrontation over the tanker, which the US wants to seize but Russia has sought to protect. The current relevance lies in the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western countries regarding sanctions and energy exports.