The captain of the Russian-owned tanker “Tagor,” which was detained by French naval forces in the Atlantic Ocean, has been released, according to the Brest Prosecutor’s Office. The decision was made as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to sea-news.az citing Brest Prosecutor’s Office, reports that the captain had previously been suspected of two offenses:
- violation of vessel flag registration regulations
- failure to comply with orders issued by authorized maritime authorities
Under French law, these violations may result in up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to €150,000, and even the confiscation of the vessel.
The “Tagor” tanker is the fourth Russian tanker detained by France since September 2025. The incident comes amid increased monitoring by European countries aimed at preventing Russia’s “shadow fleet” from circumventing sanctions.
The French side states that the operation was carried out on a lawful basis within the framework of enforcing international sanctions. Russia, however, does not accept these allegations and had demanded the captain’s release.
Despite the captain’s release, the investigation into the “Tagor” case is ongoing.
