# EU forces board suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean, Kallas says

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/eu-forces-board-suspected-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-mediterranean-kallas-says/
- Published: 2026-11-15T11:52:13+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T19:34:41+00:00
- Original publisher: Kyiv Independent
- Original article: https://kyivindependent.com/eu-forces-board-suspected-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-mediterranean-kallas-says/
- Topics: Europe, World

## Key points

- EU forces boarded the suspected tanker MV MIDAG on 13 November.
- The inspection confirmed it was sailing under a false flag.
- Ukraine had listed 1,404 suspected shadow fleet vessels by May 2026.

## Summary

EU naval forces boarded the suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker MV MIDAG in the Mediterranean on 13 November, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said two days later. The operation is part of efforts to disrupt vessels used to transport Russian oil while evading Western sanctions, which help fund Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

The EU’s Operation IRINI inspected the tanker under Article 110 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows ships to be checked in certain circumstances. Kallas said the boarding confirmed the vessel was sailing under a false flag; MarineTraffic listed it as registered in Zimbabwe. EU foreign ministers were due to approve further Russia sanctions listings on 16 November, while Ukraine’s government register had identified 1,404 suspected shadow fleet vessels as of May 2026.

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