The diplomatic standoff erupted after French President Emmanuel Macron announced the interception of the Cameroon-flagged tanker. French authorities have linked the Deliver to what they describe as Russia’s “shadow fleet”—a network of vessels used to bypass Western commercial restrictions. According to the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture, the tanker was sailing from the Russian port of Primorsk before it was intercepted, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
In a sharp statement, the Russian embassy revealed that French authorities failed to provide any prior notification regarding the detention. Preliminary reports indicate that no Russian citizens were among the ship’s crew members.
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Moscow’s diplomatic mission argued that international maritime law strictly prohibits states from forcing foreign vessels navigating international waters to alter their course or compelling them to dock at a foreign port. The embassy specifically cited Article 110 of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, noting that it contains an exhaustive list of conditions under which a warship may board a foreign vessel on the high seas—none of which allow for forced diversion to a port.
Furthermore, the embassy rejected France’s justification that the vessel was violating international sanctions. Russian officials dismissed European Union restrictions as unilateral measures that lack the necessary approval and legitimacy of the UN Security Council.
