France seizes tanker DF Peak south of Réunion; Russia calls it “piracy”

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the French navy had intercepted and boarded the oil tanker DF Peak about 450 nautical miles south of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, Euronews reported. On Tuesday, 13 October, Russia’s embassy in France called the seizure a blatant violation of international law and “piracy,” state agency RIA reported via Reuters.

What France says

• Macron wrote that the tanker was suspected of sailing under a false flag and of “illicit fuel transportation activities” as part of Russia’s shadow fleet, and that France remains “determined to combat the ‘shadow fleet’ wherever it may be.”
• Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the military was escorting the ship for further checks under the authority of the prefect of Réunion. Video shared by Macron appeared to show troops rappelling onto the vessel.
• Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) said DF Peak transports Russian crude and is linked to shipping firm Sovcomflot; the ship was built in 2006 and has sailed under multiple flags. France previously intercepted tanker Deliver off Sicily in June.

Russia’s response

RIA quoted the embassy as saying France had not notified Russia of the seizure and that Moscow was checking whether any Russian citizens were among the crew. Shadow fleet vessels typically use opaque ownership and flags of convenience to move Russian oil past Western sanctions.