EU forces board suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean, Kallas says
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European naval forces boarded a suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on Nov. 13, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Nov. 15.
The operation is part of the EU's efforts to crack down on Russia's shadow fleet, a network of tankers Moscow uses to transport oil while circumventing Western sanctions.
The crude oil tanker named MV MIDAG was sailing under a false flag and was boarded by the EU's Operation IRINI, Kallas wrote on X. Operation IRINI is the EU mission monitoring arms and oil trafficking in the Mediterranean.
According to the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic, the vessel was sailing under the flag of Zimbabwe.
"The EU will keep disrupting Russia's shadow fleet at sea and through diplomatic means," Kallas said.
The action was carried out under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits the inspection of ships under certain circumstances.
On Nov. 16, EU Foreign Ministers are set to approve new Russia sanctions listings, including on banks, buyers, and companies supporting the shadow fleet, Kallas said.
The bloc has increasingly targeted vessels suspected of being part of the network. In August, EU forces boarded another suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker, the MV Sun, in the Mediterranean to verify its flag.
Russia's shadow fleet has significantly contributed to the Kremlin's ability to continue financing its war against Ukraine. As of May 2026, the Ukrainian government register has identified 1,404 vessels as part of Russia's shadow fleet.
