Overview
- French naval forces boarded the Mozambique-flagged tanker Deyna in the western Mediterranean after it departed Murmansk, with President Emmanuel Macron linking it to Russia’s shadow fleet.
- Maritime authorities said documents found on board cast doubt on the vessel’s claimed Mozambique registry, reinforcing suspicions of a false flag.
- The Deyna was diverted to an anchorage for further checks, and the matter was referred to prosecutors in Marseille for legal follow-up.
- Britain supported the operation, with patrol boat HMS Cutlass tracking the tanker near the Strait of Gibraltar and providing imagery to French authorities.
- European enforcement against suspected shadow-fleet shipping has intensified in recent weeks, and Russian security official Nikolai Patrushev said Moscow is considering naval escorts for linked vessels.