The EU Landed A Team On A Tanker Belonging To Russia's Shadow Fleet In The Mediterranean Sea
- 15.11.2026, 14:53
The ship was sailing under a false flag.
On November 13, forces from the European Union’s IRINI naval operation detained the MV Midag, a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, in the Mediterranean Sea, reported the head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas. According to her, a boarding party went on board and confirmed that the vessel was sailing under a false flag. The inspection was conducted in accordance with Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“The European Union intends to continue fighting Russia’s shadow fleet both at sea and through diplomatic means,” Kallas stated. She also noted that on November 16, EU foreign ministers are expected to approve new sanctions against Russia: banks, buyers of Russian oil, and companies assisting the shadow fleet will be blacklisted.
On the night of October 31, Swedish special forces raided a dry cargo ship owned by a company suspected of being involved in Russian hybrid operations in Europe. Military personnel boarded the vessel and checked the travel documents of the crew, all of whom were Russian citizens. The operating company’s representative office is registered in the Kaliningrad region. Its vessels had previously been spotted in areas where unidentified drones had been observed.
A month ago, the French Navy detained the sanctioned shadow tanker DF Peak, which was sailing under a false flag and involved in the illegal transport of fuel. The vessel, which previously belonged to Sovcomflot and was named “Kaliningrad,” was intercepted near Réunion Island, east of Madagascar. It is at least the sixth vessel detained by France over the past year. The United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Finland, Estonia, and other countries are also involved in the fight against the shadow fleet.