French forces have seized a Russian oil tanker off the country’s coast, an incident that follows President Macron’s declaration that Europe is in a state of “confrontation” with Russia over its hybrid warfare tactics.
The French Navy has seized the tanker in French coastal waters, an incident that underscores the escalating tensions between Paris and Moscow.
The French Navy operation, the details of which remain unknown, follows a broader pattern of maritime and geopolitical friction. On Wednesday, President Macron accused Russia of engaging in “hybrid warfare,” citing alleged election interference, cyberattacks, airspace provocations, and nuclear threats as evidence of this confrontation.
This is not the first such maritime action by French Navy. In March 2022, a Russian cargo ship named Baltic Leader was intercepted in the English Channel near the coastal city of Boulogne-sur-Mer in Northern France by a Flamant-class patrol vessel tasked with fishing surveillance, search and rescue, and local patrol duties.
F.abedi - M.Derakhshandeh
