EU Warships to Detain Tankers Suspected of Carrying Russian Oil

EU Warships Cleared to Detain Russian Oil Tankers at Sea

Fred Turner, Editor

07:00 09-06-2026

EU warships in the Mediterranean can detain tankers suspected of carrying Russian oil as Operation IRINI shifts focus toward the shadow fleet and sanctions.

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the European Union has authorized its warships in the Mediterranean to detain foreign tankers suspected of carrying Russian oil.

According to Kallas, the measure applies to naval vessels operating under Operation IRINI. She said the move is aimed at limiting Russia’s ability to earn revenue on the global market and use those funds for its special military operation.

Kallas also said the EU would discuss the so-called shadow fleet, adding that Operation IRINI had changed its rules of engagement and would now begin detaining vessels. She noted that the aim was to use the best practices applied by different countries.

Operation IRINI was originally launched in 2020 to monitor the arms embargo on Libya. Its focus has now shifted toward countering the so-called shadow fleet. Experts note that European warships will be able to stop vessels sailing under third-country flags if there are suspicions that they are transporting Russian oil.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron reported the detention of the oil tanker Tagor in the Atlantic. The vessel had departed from Russia and was under international sanctions. According to VesselFinder, the tanker was sailing under the flag of Madagascar, while its last recorded port call was in Murmansk in early May. The crew refused to surrender voluntarily to the French military.