France intercepted Russian oil tanker near Sicily, Macron says
Why it matters: Paris says the move was its fifth against Moscow's sanctions-evading "shadow fleet" financing the war in Ukraine.
France's navy intercepted an oil tanker near the coast of Sicily on Tuesday in what President Emmanuel Macron described as another operation against Russia's "shadow fleet." Macron said the action, publicized Thursday, was carried out days after a similar British operation and showed European resolve to enforce sanctions. He posted video of marines descending from helicopters onto the vessel, identified as the Deliver. France says it has now intercepted at least five tankers linked to the aging network Russia uses to move oil and gas and bypass Western restrictions. Moscow has previously called such interdictions illegal.