EU naval force boards Russian shadow fleet tanker

An Italian-led European Union naval force boarded a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on August 2, marking the second such operation in less than two weeks as part of intensified efforts to enforce sanctions against Moscow. The Italian navy vessel Thaon di Revel, flagship of the EU's Operation IRINI, intercepted the tanker Toa Payoh in international waters west of the Italian island of Pantelleria.

The operation aimed to verify the ship's nationality and registration documents, as it was sailing under a Cameroonian flag. According to the Italian Defense Ministry, the Toa Payoh is subject to EU sanctions and is considered part of Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of vessels used to transport oil and circumvent international restrictions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. The tanker was en route from Cotonou, Benin, to Istanbul, Turkey, having departed Benin on July 16.

Officials stated that the ship's captain initially failed to cooperate with requests for documentation, prompting a team of Italian military personnel to board the vessel from a helicopter launched by the Thaon di Revel. The inspection, conducted with support from a Greek naval vessel and...