Russian oil tanker intercepted off Brest: Moscow denounces "illegal" action
The French navy boarded an oil tanker from Murmansk 400 nautical miles off Brittany. The Kremlin describes the operation as quasi-piracy.
Boarding of Russian oil tanker in Atlantic: Kremlin speaks of "piracy"
France boarded an oil tanker from Russia on Sunday more than 400 nautical miles west of Brittany's tip, according to letelegramme.fr. The Kremlin immediately reacted, describing the operation as an illegal act bordering on international piracy.
"We consider these actions as illegal, bordering on international piracy," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov at his daily press briefing, which the AFP attended. Peskov added that "Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of its cargo".
Captain refused to comply on multiple occasions
The vessel, which departed from Murmansk and was subject to European sanctions, was intercepted by the National Navy after its captain "refused on multiple occasions to comply with instructions", according to a statement from the Brest public prosecutor's office released on Monday. The public prosecutor's office determined that a "takeover of the vessel was necessary" in order to "pursue the necessary investigations".
The captain declared himself to be of "Russian nationality", specified Brest prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger in an official statement.
Criminal investigation opened, maritime gendarmerie brought in
The Brest public prosecutor's office announced the opening of a criminal investigation covering three counts: "failure to justify a ship's nationality", "lack of flag" and "refusal to comply". The investigations have been entrusted to the maritime gendarmerie.
The oil tanker, whose commercial name is the Tagor, was sailing under an unidentified flag at the time of the interception, which constitutes one of the central elements of the legal proceedings initiated.
Source: Google News LU FR