European Forces Intercept ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker in Mediterranean Sea

July 22, 2026 European forces board the MV South Star. © kajakallas/ X A European naval mission boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker suspected of sailing under a false flag this week, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday. Personnel operating under the Mediterranean naval initiative Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI boarded the MV South Star on Monday for “flag verification,” Kallas wrote in a post on X. “We’re turning up the pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet,” she said, referring to vessels with opaque ownership used to skirt Western sanctions against Russia. The EU’s naval force mission confirmed its crew boarded the sanctioned tanker in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Both Kallas and the EU published photos showing military helicopters and speedboats encircling the vessel. According to marine traffic monitoring data, the South Star, which sails under the flag of Cameroon, was located in the West Mediterranean as of Wednesday afternoon. It was not immediately clear whether the flag verification operation was still underway 48 hours after the initial boarding. The vessel reportedly departed the Tunisian port of Rades on July 10 and was scheduled to arrive there again on July 22. Kallas said EU member states have also authorized the bloc’s naval mission off the coast of Somalia and the western Indian Ocean to conduct similar flag verification boardings of suspected Russian “shadow fleet” vessels. “This decision further tightens the net,” she posted. Brussels has sanctioned nearly 600 ships suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” network. Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed previous interceptions of Russia-linked vessels as “piracy.” Read more about: European Union , Shadow fleet Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more EU Seeks Ways to Step Up Checks on Russia's ‘Shadow Fleet’ The European Union is looking to increase the ability of its member states to carry out inspections on Russia's “shadow fleet” of aging oil... 2 Min read Europe’s Top Rights Body to Create ‘Platform for Dialogue’ With Exiled Russian Opposition The platform will seek to strengthen Russian democratic groups' capacity to bring about “democratic change in Russia” and “a lasting and just peace... 1 Min read Yanukovych Criticizes EU and Ukraine’s NATO Ambitions in Rare Video Appearance Independent media noted it was Yanukovych’s first public appearance since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 1 Min read EU Chief's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Jamming in Bulgaria Bulgarian authorities believed Russia was responsible for the jamming, which happened on Sunday, but it was not clear whether the aircraft was deliberately... 2 Min read