France intercepts Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker in operation off Réunion Island

President Macron confirmed on Monday that French forces intercepted the DF Peak, a Benin-flagged tanker included on the European Union's sanctions list as part of efforts to disrupt the so-called Russian “shadow fleet”.

“This morning, more than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion, our national Navy boarded the tanker DF Peak,” Macron wrote on X, alongside a short video showing the operation.

The French president said Paris would continue its efforts against the network of vessels that Western governments accuse Moscow of using to export oil while circumventing sanctions imposed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

What is Russia's 'shadow fleet' and how does it work?

Targeting Russia's shadow fleet

European governments have increasingly turned their attention to the shadow fleet as they seek to squeeze one of Russia's most important sources of revenue.

The DF Peak is among around 700 vessels covered by EU sanctions targeting ships suspected of transporting Russian oil or supporting Moscow's energy trade.

Before 2024, the tanker operated under the name Kaliningrad.

The operation off Réunion comes as European countries step up enforcement against vessels linked to Russia's oil trade, including through inspections and other measures aimed at preventing sanctions evasion.

The EU has progressively expanded restrictions on vessels accused of helping Russia bypass the bloc's embargoes and price cap on Russian oil.

New measures introduced by the bloc also allow member states, in certain circumstances, to sell oil or other cargo seized from sanctioned vessels.

Dark vessels: how Russia steers clear of Western sanctions with a shadow fleet

Moscow condemns tougher enforcement

Moscow has strongly criticised such moves.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described attempts to seize or restrict Russian-linked vessels and their cargoes as “piracy and banditry”, accusing European governments of overstepping international law.

Western governments argue that tighter enforcement is necessary because Moscow has increasingly relied on vessels registered under foreign flags, complex ownership structures and changing ship names to keep oil flowing to international markets.

For France, the interception of the DF Peak also demonstrates the growing geographical reach of efforts to police sanctions, with the operation taking place far from European waters in the Indian Ocean.

(with newswires)