DISINFO: French navy's seizure of the oil tanker Tagor is tantamount to international piracy
SUMMARY
The Kremlin rejected President Macron's characterisation of the seizure of the oil tanker Tagor as an act adhering to international law. Such acts are illegal and tantamount to international piracy.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that characterises the targeting of vessels that break international maritime law as "piracy".
This claim misrepresents the legal basis for the operation. French authorities stated that the Tagor was intercepted on suspicion of operating under a false flag and being linked to sanctions evasion. Following an onboard inspection, they reported that the vessel’s documentation confirmed irregularities concerning the flag it was flying.
Contrary to claims of “piracy”, the operation was conducted in accordance with the law of the sea and with the support of international partners.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), of which Russia is a member, adopted Resolution A.1192(33) in December 2023, identifying as illegal vessels engaged in sanctions evasion, the disabling of tracking systems, concealment of ownership, avoidance of inspections, and operation without proper insurance.
The IMO further notes that these ships pose serious risks to maritime safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of global trade, particularly when conducting opaque ship-to-ship transfers or evading regulatory oversight. As such, member states are urged to monitor, inspect, and regulate these vessels in line with existing international conventions such as SOLAS and MARPOL.
Moreover, in April 2026, the IMO approved the first International Guidelines to Deter Maritime Fraud and Misuse of Flags. These guidelines specifically target the misuse of flags and fraudulent registries. They aim to close the regulatory gaps that allowed 529 ships to fly false flags in 2025 alone.
Most importantly, these enforcement measures are a direct consequence of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which triggered waves of international sanctions and increased scrutiny of attempts to circumvent them.
See similar cases that NATO pirates act against Russian-linked ships under the pretext of sabotage, that NATO legalises piracy in the Baltic Sea, that Poland wants to boost NATO’s piracy against Russian ships in the Baltic Sea, that Europe plans a maritime blockade of Russia in the Baltics and the confiscation of Kaliningrad, and that "Baltic Sentry" is NATO’s maritime blockade to lock Russia in.