Source: SFGate
“French authorities said Tuesday they released a tanker intercepted last month in the Mediterranean Sea which is suspected of being part of Russia’s sanctioned shadow fleet shipping oil in violation of international sanctions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a post on X that the tanker Grinch is to leave French waters after having paid a penalty of ‘several million euros’ and ‘three weeks of costly immobilization.’ ‘Circumventing European sanctions comes at a price. Russia will no longer be able to finance its war with impunity through a ghost fleet off our coasts,’ Barrot said. The French military diverted the ship last month and anchored it in the port of Fos-sur-Mer as part of an investigation into a charge of failure to fly a valid flag.” (02/17/26)