French military forces conducted a search on a deserted ship suspected to be linked to Russia and responsible for launching drones into NATO airspace. The vessel, flying the flag of Benin, is believed to be part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unregistered fleet of aging tankers, known as the “shadow fleet.” The European Union had previously flagged this ship for its suspected involvement in the shadow fleet activities.
The vessel, currently stationed off the western coast of France, was boarded by French troops, as confirmed by an unnamed military source to the AFP. French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned that the ship is under investigation for serious offenses but refrained from directly confirming reports linking it to the drone flights that allegedly originated from the ship during its stop in Denmark from September 22 to 25.
Speaking at an EU leaders’ summit in Copenhagen, Macron stated, “There were serious offenses committed by this crew, warranting the ongoing legal process.” When asked about potential drone launches from the vessel, Macron remained cautious and declined to comment on any alleged connections.
There are suspicions that these tankers could have been used as launch sites for drones or as decoys. Data analysis revealed that a different ship, the Astrol 1, passed through the Øresund Strait during the time of the drone sightings.