France seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker near Saint-Nazaire

France has detained an oil tanker and two crew members suspected of ties to a Russian shadow fleet used to bypass Western sanctions on energy exports. French authorities identified the vessel as the Boracay, which sails under a Benin flag and faces European Union sanctions. Naval forces boarded the ship last week, and it remains anchored near Saint-Nazaire.

The captain and first mate are in custody as investigators examine potential serious irregularities. Authorities are also probing possible connections to unidentified drones seen near Danish airports and military installations last month. French President Emmanuel Macron said the crew faces allegations of various serious offenses that warranted their detention, but he did not confirm any link to Danish airspace violations.

Moscow denies knowledge of the vessel or the allegations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Western European nations have conducted numerous provocative actions in international waters that threaten commercial navigation freedom. Russia has rejected Western sanctions as illegal and warned against restricting its vessels' movement rights.

Russian officials dismissed claims about Russian drone activity in Western Europe as unsubstantiated and politically motivated.