Italian-led EU Naval Force Boards Sanctioned Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tanker in Mediterranean

An Italian-led European Union naval mission, EUNAVFOR MED Irini, boarded a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, west of Sicily. The vessel, identified as the Toa Payoh and subject to EU sanctions, was sailing from Benin to Istanbul under a declared Cameroon flag. This marks the second such operation in less than two weeks, as Europe intensifies efforts to scrutinize vessels suspected of helping Russia circumvent oil sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine. The mission, originally launched to enforce a UN arms embargo on Libya, has broadened its scope to include verification boardings of sanctioned vessels.