00:20French Navy commandos have boarded an oil tanker allegedly linked to Russia's Shadow Fleet in one
00:27of the most high-profile sanctions enforcement actions of the year.
00:31The vessel is the Deliver, an oil tanker sailing under the Cameroonian flag.
00:37On June 23, French forces intercepted and boarded the ship off the coast of Sicily in
00:42international waters.
00:44But the story exploded two days later.
00:48On June 25, French President Emmanuel Macron released video footage showing French Marines
00:54fast roping from helicopters directly onto the tanker.
00:58The images quickly went viral.
01:01Macron described the operation as another strike against Russia's so-called Shadow Fleet, and
01:07his message was clear.
01:09We will not let the Shadow Fleet evade sanctions and finance the Russian war effort.
01:14According to reports, the Deliver had departed from Primorsk, a major Russian oil export port
01:20on the Baltic Sea.
01:21Its declared destination was Singapore.
01:25The tanker has already attracted international attention.
01:28It is under Ukrainian sanctions and has been identified by analysts as part of the network
01:34helping Russia move oil despite Western restrictions.
01:38That network is known as the Shadow Fleet.
01:40Since sanctions were imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has increasingly
01:47relied on hundreds of aging tankers operating through opaque ownership structures.
01:52Many frequently change flags, use shell companies, conduct ship-to-ship transfers, and in some cases
01:59manipulate vessel tracking systems.
02:02Experts estimate the fleet could include anywhere from several hundred to well over a thousand vessels.
02:07And despite sanctions, it continues generating massive oil revenues for Russia.
02:13Revenue that Western governments say helps fund the war effort.
02:17France authorities say the Deliver boarding was linked to suspected maritime law and sanctions compliance issues.
02:24The operation also marks at least the fifth French interception of a Shadow Fleet vessel.
02:30Previous targets reportedly included the Tagore, Dana, Grinch, and Pushpa.
02:35The move comes amid a broader European crackdown.
02:39Just days earlier, on June 14th, British forces boarded another Cameroonian-flagged tanker, the Smirtos, in the English Channel.
02:49Together, these operations signal growing coordination between European allies to increase pressure on Russia's energy export network.
02:56Moscow has repeatedly condemned such actions, describing them as illegal and politically motivated.
03:03But France, the UK, and other European partners argue that stricter enforcement is necessary to prevent sanctions evasion.
03:11For now, the Deliver has become the latest symbol in the ongoing battle over Russian oil exports.
03:17And with Europe tightening pressure on Shadow Fleet operations across key maritime routes, more inspections and interceptions could be on
03:26the way.
03:26The message from Paris is unmistakable.
03:29The hunt for Russia's Shadow Fleet is accelerating.
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