LONDON — France on Saturday intercepted and seized a Russian vessel in the English Channel in line with new EU sanctions in opposition to Moscow, in response to a number of media reviews.
The cargo ship was certain for St. Petersburg and was transporting automobiles, however French sea police redirected the vessel to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
It is “strongly suspected of being linked to Russian pursuits focused by the sanctions,” stated Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture, in response to Reuters, with reviews that the ship is owned by a Russian businessman who’s on the EU’s checklist of sanctioned inviduals.
Reports say that the vessel is named the “Baltic Leader” and the crew have been cooperating with the authorities.
The Russian RIA news agency said that the Russian embassy in France had instantly contacted the French authorities for clarification.