Overview
- The tanker Deyna, flagged to Mozambique and tracked from Murmansk, was diverted to an anchorage for identity and insurance inspections after being boarded by the French navy.
- Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Cutlass supported the action with tracking and imagery near the Strait of Gibraltar, according to UK officials.
- French maritime authorities said documents found onboard confirmed doubts about the vessel’s flag validity, and prosecutors in Marseille are now handling the case with seizure possible if violations are proven.
- A Western military source told Reuters the Deyna was carrying Russian crude, and UK and EU listings identify the vessel as sanctioned for its role in shipping Russian oil.
- The operation extends Europe’s recent clampdown on the shadow fleet, as Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev signals potential countermeasures including naval escorts and onboard protective teams.