France: France has intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on suspicion of links to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to finance the war in Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. Writing on X, Macron stated that the vessel was under international sanctions and suspected of sailing under a false flag. He noted that the tanker had been diverted with the support of several allies and that a judicial investigation had been opened.

According to Qatar News Agency, the French navy confirmed the operation was conducted in cooperation with allies, including the UK, in international waters between Spain and North Africa. The tanker, named Greench, was traveling from the Arctic port of Murmansk. Naval authorities indicated that checks on the ship's documents raised doubts about the validity of the flag it was flying, which led to a referral to prosecutors in Marseille. The vessel is now being escorted to a port for further inspections.