French authorities have charged the captain of an oil tanker, believed to be part of a so-called “shadow fleet” evading sanctions against Russia. The Chinese national faces a charge of not complying with orders from the French navy and is required to attend a court hearing in Brest, scheduled for February.
The vessel, identified as the Boracay, departed Russia last month and was located off Denmark’s coast when unidentified drones led to the temporary closure of several airports in the region. Earlier this week, French military personnel boarded the Boracay due to its inclusion on a list of vessels under EU sanctions for transporting Russian oil exports. In reaction, Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled France’s actions as “piracy.”
The Kremlin has denied any knowledge of the tanker, which is currently registered in Benin. The Boracay has reportedly changed its name and flag multiple times in recent years, allegedly to skirt sanctions enacted in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The French prosecutor’s office noted that the captain could not provide a clear explanation regarding the ship’s flag.
While the captain and a second Chinese national, who served as the second captain, were initially detained, the latter was released without charges. The Boracay is now docked near Saint-Nazaire, south of Brest. According to international maritime law, naval forces may stop a merchant vessel if there are reasonable grounds to suspect it lacks nationality.
Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russian energy, restricting imports and placing price caps on oil following the war in Ukraine. Moscow has reportedly established a “shadow fleet” of several hundred tankers registered in different countries to continue oil exports.
Earlier this year, the Boracay was detained by Estonian authorities for sailing without a valid flag. After departing the Russian port of Primorsk in late September, it was set to arrive in Vadinar, India, on October 20. Questions remain regarding any potential link between the tanker and last week’s drone incidents in Danish airspace, which authorities claim lack evidence of Russian involvement.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxz1wvqvzqo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss