• France's navy has intercepted the Grinch, an oil tanker from Russia, suspected of evading sanctions.
• The tanker is believed to be part of a larger 'shadow fleet' of over 400 vessels.
• The intercepted tanker was redirected to Marseille for further investigation.
• The operation involved intelligence support from the United Kingdom.
• The EU has imposed extensive sanctions against Russia amidst its ongoing war in Ukraine.

French authorities have initiated an investigation into the Grinch, an oil tanker intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea on January 23, suspected of operating under a false flag to evade sanctions against Russia. The vessel reportedly set sail from Murmansk and was redirected to Marseille for further checks, according to Le Monde and Reuters.

The interception of the Grinch is part of France's broader efforts to combat the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet, which comprises approximately 400 aging vessels, to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions related to its war in Ukraine. "The ship is suspected of operating with a false flag," indicating its clandestine operations, as reported by Africa News and Reuters.

Support for the interception came from intelligence shared by the United Kingdom, highlighting the collaborative efforts among nations to tackle this issue. The EU has implemented multiple sanctions packages against Russia, which Moscow has managed to adapt to, maintaining oil sales to countries like India and China, according to Le Monde and Africa News.