Italian military forces boarded a tanker belonging to Russia's shadow fleet – Reuters

In the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Italian island of Pantelleria, military personnel from a helicopter launched from the flagship of the EU mission EUNAVFOR MED Irini, the Thaon di Revel, boarded the sanctioned tanker Toa Payoh. 

The vessel belongs to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” was sailing under the Cameroonian flag from Benin to Istanbul, and its captain initially refused to cooperate regarding the verification of the flag and nationality.

The special inspection operation lasted about two hours with support from a Greek vessel and a Polish patrol aircraft. The inspection proceeded safely, and Italian authorities are now reviewing the seized documentation.

The Irini mission was established in 2020 to enforce the UN embargo on Libya; but the European Union later expanded its mandate, authorizing it to inspect vessels of the Russian “shadow fleet” suspected of using false flags to circumvent oil sanctions.

Source: Reuters.

The naval forces of the EU operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI detained the oil tanker MV South Star, which is suspected of sailing under a false flag in violation of international maritime law. This was reported by EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas.

On June 1, France detained the Tagor, a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, in the Atlantic Ocean.