French military forces have conducted a search on a deserted vessel suspected to be linked to a Russian ship accused of deploying drones into NATO airspace.
The oil tanker flying the flag of Benin is believed to be part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “shadow fleet,” known for instigating drone attacks. It was previously flagged by the European Union as a vessel associated with the aging tanker fleet.
French soldiers were observed on the ship situated off the western coast of France. An anonymous military source confirmed the boarding of the vessel on Saturday.
French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed that the ship is under investigation for severe violations. However, he refrained from confirming reports connecting the vessel to drone flights that allegedly took place during its stay in Denmark from September 22 to 25.
During an EU leaders’ summit in Copenhagen, Macron stated, “There were significant offenses committed by this crew, warranting the ongoing legal process.” When questioned about potential drone launches from the vessel, Macron chose to exercise caution and declined to comment on any alleged associations.
There are suspicions that the tankers might have been used either for launching drones or as distractions. Data indicates that another ship, the Astrol 1, passed through the Øresund Strait around the time of the drone sightings.
This development coincides with Russia’s incursions into Polish airspace, testing the unity among NATO members. The September drone incident led to NATO military forces scrambling aircraft in response.
Putin’s actions are perceived as a trial to assess whether NATO allies would intervene to protect one another in the event of a Russian attack on neighboring countries, many of which were once part of the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union.