Ukraine will ensure that France does not release the “shadow fleet” tanker Deliver for as long as possible, — Vlasyuk

Ukraine plans to achieve the longest possible detention of the Russian “shadow fleet” tanker Deliver.

Vladyslav Vlasyuk, the presidential commissioner for sanctions policy, told Ukrinform.

“The French Navy in the Mediterranean Sea detained another oil tanker of the Russian shadow fleet – Deliver, which was transiting off the coast of Sicily. This is the fourth vessel intercepted by France since the beginning of the year (after Deyna, Grinch and Tagor), which indicates the systematic hunt of European allies for sanctions evaders,” he commented.

Vlasyuk said that the vessel, flying the flag of Cameroon, was heading from the Russian Primorsk to Singapore.

The tanker is under sanctions by Ukraine, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and Australia.

The vessel’s management is a company from Hong Kong, and the captains are Chinese citizens (one of them has already been sanctioned by Ukraine).

“We are working to ensure that the detention of Deliver is as long as possible, and in the long term, that this vessel is no longer used to transport Russian oil,” he added. 

Earlier, USM reported that the French fleet had intercepted the “shadow fleet” tanker Deliver, which was transiting off the coast of Sicily.