UMVA has learned that a cargo ship sailing from Russia to Cameroon was unlawfully diverted from international waters, sparking a heated dispute between Russia and Western powers.
The vessel, the Tagor, was intercepted and diverted by French and British naval forces on Sunday, more than 400 nautical miles off the coast of Brittany. Russian officials claim the operation was an act of "piracy," while French authorities justify the action by accusing the ship of operating under a "false" flag.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Russia's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the operation, warning that it violated international maritime law. The ministry's spokeswoman stated that Moscow is taking measures to protect Russian crew members aboard the vessel and demanding full information concerning the circumstances of the detention.
The incident has sparked a war of words between Moscow and Western capitals, with Russia rejecting France's justification for the operation under Article 110 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Moscow argues that international maritime law does not permit a warship to compel a vessel to alter course and escort it from international waters to a national port.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Russia is challenging the French government's claims that the ship was violating "international sanctions." Moscow argues that only UN Security Council-approved restrictions qualify as international sanctions, and that unilateral measures imposed by European states cannot be considered international under law.
The dispute highlights concerns about the selective interpretation of legal norms by European governments and the potential consequences for global shipping. Russia's Foreign Ministry warns that attempts to enforce sanctions in areas governed by freedom of navigation could have broader implications for international maritime trade.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that many vessels operating in the interests of European countries sail under so-called flags of convenience. Extending enforcement practices to the high seas could prove costly for international maritime trade, according to Moscow.
