France has released a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet
France has released the Russian shadow fleet tanker Deyna, which it had detained in March.
This was reported by the French media outlet Maritima.
The company that owns the tanker was fined for failing to confirm the vessel’s nationality. Reuters previously reported that the tanker was sailing from Murmansk under the Mozambican flag.
Immediately after the court’s decision, the tanker left its anchorage in the Bay of Fos to enter international waters.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the vessel was carrying Russian oil, which was being sold at a price above the ceiling set by the G7 countries. It is subject to sanctions imposed by the US, Ukraine, Switzerland, the UK and Canada.
The tanker Deyna was detained on 20 March on suspicion of helping Russia circumvent the oil embargo. French President Emmanuel Macron described it at the time as a ‘military speculator’.
Russia’s shadow fleet: what is known
In early December 2022, the G7 members, along with Australia and the EU, imposed price caps on Russian oil, setting a maximum price of $60 per barrel. In January 2026, the European Union announced a reduction in the price of Russian oil to $44.1 per barrel from 1 February 2026.
To circumvent the oil sanctions, Russia began to build up a shadow fleet. This is a fleet of old tankers that switch off their transponders so that they cannot be detected by tracking systems. They are mainly operated by the Russian state-owned company ‘Sukhoflot’. With its help, Russia transports approximately 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, generating substantial profits for the Kremlin.
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