Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has issued a stern warning to European countries about potential repercussions for interfering in the operations of what is referred to as the “shadow fleet” of tankers. He indicated that Russia might respond with reciprocal actions against the European Union’s tanker fleet.
Lavrov stated, “Any claim by NATO, the EU, or their members to command any waters is unacceptable.” He criticized the EU, accusing it of transforming into a military bloc and recalling historical acts of piracy. He claimed that the concept of a “shadow fleet” is a fabrication created to justify the seizure of foreign vessels and their cargo. “To justify this plunder, they invented the term ‘shadow fleet,’ which doesn’t exist in international law,” he added.
France has been particularly aggressive in its efforts to intercept Russian shipping. Recently, the French Navy intercepted the tanker DF Peak near the island of Reunion, east of Madagascar. The vessel, flagged as Benin, was identified as falsely flagged in its official records. French forces boarded the ship, conducted a thorough inspection, and arrested its captain for failing to provide proof of the ship’s nationality. The captain could face up to two years in prison and fines exceeding $300,000 if convicted, alongside the possible confiscation of the tanker.
Previously, in October 2025, French commandos also boarded the Russia-linked tanker Boracay in the Bay of Biscay. After being diverted to Brest for an inquiry, the tanker was eventually released.
Lavrov emphasized that the enforcement of EU sanctions and inspections of ships would lead to “mirror and asymmetric responses,” a tactic similarly utilized by Western nations. Ukraine’s allies in Europe have been cooperating to counter Russian asymmetric warfare tactics, which include espionage, sabotage, harassment via drones, and covert activities related to subsea cables. An attempted explosive strike at an airport in Leipzig has been attributed by the German government to Russian intelligence services.
