European Union naval forces boarded the MV Midag in the Mediterranean on Friday, November 13, and found that the tanker was sailing under a false flag, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. The vessel is suspected of belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, which is used to evade Western oil sanctions.
Kallas said on Sunday that personnel from Operation Irini carried out the inspection. She shared images that appeared to show the boarding and wrote that the EU would continue disrupting Russia’s shadow fleet at sea and through diplomatic measures, according to Euronews.
The confirmed finding described by Kallas was the false flag. The tanker’s suspected connection to Russia’s sanctions-evasion network has not been established as a confirmed fact.
Sanctions were expected to be discussed Monday
Kallas said EU foreign ministers were due to consider new sanctions against Russia on Monday, November 16. She said the proposed measures would target banks, buyers and companies supporting the shadow fleet. Her statement described a planned discussion; it did not confirm that the sanctions had been approved.
Russia’s shadow fleet uses complex ownership arrangements and flags of convenience to obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the report said. The MV Midag boarding followed earlier Operation Irini inspections of the MV Sun and MV Toa Payoh.
Launched in March 2020, Operation Irini was initially tasked with enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya and supporting efforts to counter arms and oil smuggling. Its mandate was renewed in October through March 31, 2029, with responsibilities that include helping constrain Russia’s shadow fleet in the Mediterranean.
Clayton Ward